The Scarecrow
by PanicButton
Summary: The team are called in to investigate missing adults and children. A stranger promises Reid as a gift to an odd child. Rated T for later chapters.  Please R
1. Chapter 1

Scarecrow

**A/N I am trying something new. Please let me know if it's total rubbish, or if 'tis worth a continuance. R&R**

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds. Any places or names used are purely coincidental, or real!

_There are only three sins - causing pain, causing fear, and causing anguish. The rest is window dressing – Roger Caras_

Prologue

The little West girl didn't really stand much of a chance. It was upon her and it was over before she could blink.

The boy from over the hill in the little valley near the big river was taken quickly too. They thought he had fallen into the big sweeping Penobscot. They mourned for him and grieved for him, and they prayed for him, but he never came home.

The lady with the big brown bag and the glasses was just wondering what she wanted for dinner when she stopped being her and started being something else. She didn't feel it. It just sort of happened.

The man with the hair and the glasses was sitting alone at his computer. He was thinking, and he could hear the birds and the rushing of the wind in the trees. His hands would move into quick bursts of action over his keyboard, and then he would go back to sitting and thinking. He was smoking strange long thin brown cigar things, and had a glass of whiskey on his desk. Tap, tap, tap, his fingers would go drumming on the desk as he thought. Then the quick clatter of keys. Occasionally ash would fall onto the keyboard and he would blow it away lazily.

He heard another noise. Loud. A scream. A child or a woman? He couldn't tell. His imagination? He sat back on his big leather swivel chair and took a long drink from the tumbler. He smiled to himself about something and listened to the screams and puffed on his cheroot.

When the Snaggly twins didn't come home from school that day there was a big search. The local police got the locals together, but the forests are too deep and they are not enough people. If the children had wandered off or had been taken into the forest they could see no sign of it. They could see no sign of anything.

Tish Bollenger had been sitting on the grass outside the big council building. They found her lap top and one shoe. They never found Tish Bollenger.

The man with the hair and the glasses and the long dust coat walked down the old broken up track. He held one hand onto his hat and the other was holding a cheroot. He was humming a tune to himself – something he had heard as a child but had forgotten, and he kicked at the stones in a playful way with his black cowboy boots as the wind blew and the trees moved, and the dust rose.

The team sat around the round table awaiting the briefing for the next case. JJ was standing with the remote in her hand wearing a pretty sharp black suit.

"…..a series of disappearances in Maine has been brought to our attention because of the peculiar way the vics just seem to disappear."

Click

A picture of Kat West popped up on the screen. "21yrs old, Kat West. She had been to a second hand curtain sale and was driving home. They have found her car, and the things she purchased. But there is no sign of what happened to her."

They all sit and look at the odd looking female with black hair and too much make up wearing what looked to be a princess costume made out of curtains.

Click

Gideon was flicking through the file and looking at the notes as JJ talked. Morgan was leaning forwards with his elbows on the table looking at the screen and shaking his head.

Hotch was doing much the same as Gideon.

Prentiss was watching the screen, and Reid was folding bits of paper up into tiny bits and twisting them into shapes of animals.

JJ went through the list of names and ages, and genders, and told them all that there is absolutely no sign of the missing people at all. Nothing in common apart from they all lived within 10 miles of each other. There were no other links at all.

So with a "Wheels up in 20" the team grab bags and make their way to the runway. Reid leaves his little paper animals behind on the table.

The plane trip was mostly uneventful it was the ride from the air strip to the hotel they would be staying in which grabbed the interest of the team in the SUVs. It was time for the leaves to fall, and they fluttered in the wind like golden butterflies and along the edge of the road…scarecrows hanging from the trees. Not just one or two, but probably hundreds of them. Hanging by necks and arms and legs and torso. The cars slowed down so that they could take a closer look at them.

"What the hell?" Morgan said.

Reid stared at them out of the window, and put the palm of his hand on the glass as he looked.

From the forest a man with hair and glasses and a hat stood in his long dust coat. He watched as the cars passed by this family, and slow down and look, and saw the hand reach out and touch the glass of the car window. The man took his cheroot from his mouth and dropped it to the forest floor, being careful to grind it in deeply to the damp undergrowth, and he smiled. "You are mine" he said as he looked at the cars drive on down the road. "You are going to be mine."

Reid shuddered and removed his hand. It had suddenly turned very cold and he felt his skin jump up in goose bumps. Just for a second he thought he heard someone crying, but it passed almost as soon as it started.

"Spence you OK?" JJ was watching Reid, and noticed the odd look which had slipped across his face.

"I'm fine JJ…why do you ask?" and he wrapped his arms around himself and spouted some scarecrow facts. "In the United Kingdom, where the use of scarecrows as a protector of crops dates back from time immemorial, and where dialects were rife, there are a wide range of alternative names, Mommet, Murmet, Hodmedod, Tattie bogle, Bwabach, are a few…..but these are not scaring crops. Why are they here?"

"They might not be scaring crops," Emily says, "But they make me feel uncomfortable."

Reid opened his mouth to snap something back but stopped himself, and the cars carried on to the small hotel which seemed to be in the middle of no where.

The girl walked around in the garden. She looked like she had been playing dress up and was in a slightly outgrown party dress, and odd striped socks…one green and black and one red and white. She had silver sling back sandals, and had been playing with lipstick. Her mouth was blood red, and her smile huge.

"Hey." She called out "where the hell have you been?" and she ran over to the man with the hair and the hat and the long dust coat and was engulfed in hugs.

"I've been walking and working sweetheart. You are looking pretty today." And he kissed her on the top of her rich dark hair.

"I want some new toys." And her mouth turned down, and suddenly the pretty girl looked demonic. "You promised me!" she moaned and stamped her feet, and slapped at the man.

"I know. I know. I have seen what I want to get you honey…I just need to work out how to collect."


	2. Chapter 2 The Gift

The Gift

The hotel was nestled amongst the trees in a clearing at the edge of the forest.

"Oh great…This is it?" moaned JJ. "Trees, trees, and more trees." She muttered

The team were going to drop off their bags and then travel onwards to the local police station to catch up with what had been going on.

Reid and Morgan were going to visit the families of the victims, Gideon was taking Emily to the crime scenes, or the last place the victims were seen, Hotch was going to start talking to locals with JJ. It had been a long day and when they all met up in the evening to compare notes they had all drawn a complete blank.

"I asked about the scarecrows." Hotch was saying. "It seems to be something of a tradition in the area………………………………"

Reid was scratching a place on his elbow and looking uncomfortable. "Excuse me Hotch. I erm, I need to go and get something?" It seemed to be a question rather than a statement, and the others watched him curiously as he wandered off towards the kitchens.

The man with the hair and the glasses and the hat stood in the back gardens of the big old hotel in the clearing at the edge of the forest. He was smiling fiddling with something in his hands. When the young agent came out of the back kitchen doors and stood and stared he beckoned him over then lit a cheroot. Reid walked quickly, almost at a run towards the man. It looked like Reid was expecting him. He didn't look worried or alarmed in any way. He looked actually relaxed and happy. He smiled at the man with the hair and the hat and the glasses who was holding out his hand. When he looked down he saw a small bit of twisted paper made into the shape of a cat. Reid reached out and gently took it. He lifted it to his face and sniffed it.

The man in the dust coat then reached out his other hand and Reid put his hand into his jacket pocket and took out his cell phone. The stranger nodded to Reid who dropped the phone and stamped on it hard. The cell phone shattered, and Reid looked back at the man's hand which was held out again. Reid put his hand in it, and dropping the paper cat on the ground he went with the man with the hat and the glasses and the dustcoat into the forest.

"Reid!" they called.

They searched in the direction Reid had gone, and in the direction he hadn't, but he didn't seem to be in the hotel.

"I'll go out and see if he's gone to the cars." Says Morgan, and Gideon followed Morgan out to the SUVs.

"Gideon, he's been acting strange since we got here."

"I know." That was all Gideon said. He stood and rubbed his hands together. Both cars were still there, and empty. "Go round the back Morgan. See if you can see him."

The girl stood at the garden gate. She still had on her party dress and odd socks, and her silver shoes. She had been playing with the makeup again and had put on black eyeliner which had smudged and smeared. Her lipstick had been re-applied and there was a big smudge of it across her face where she had wiped it with her hand. She smiled when she saw the man arrive with her new toy. Her smile looked too big for her little face. It looked like she had too many teeth, pointed sharp yellow teeth, and her eyes bulged with pleasure at the sight of Dr Reid.

She clapped her small white hands and jumped up and down…"Oh at last, at last. Thank you!"

And Reid smiled back at her, and bent down so he could look at her in the eyes, deep green eyes. He put his hand in his pocket and took out a quarter, and showed it to her in his hand, then it was gone, and he was taking it out of her ear. She screamed in delight.

"Oh Floyd, you found me an entertaining toy. I hope he doesn't break as quickly as the others."

And her smile is too big and her breath smells of dead rats, and old trees, and fetid dustbins.

At first Morgan didn't see anything, but as he wandered back over towards to building he saw something lying on the path. It was a smashed cell phone. He Stood and looked at it for a second or two then ran back the way he had come "Gideon, get over here. Quickly!"

The two of them stood and looked at the shattered phone. Then at the origami cat.

"What the hell?"

"Have you got a name man?" The child asked Reid. He smiled at her and still crouching held out his hands so his palms where facing her. She placed her palms on his and they looked closely at each other.

"Spencer." He said quietly.

"Spencer, have you come to play with me?"

"For as long as you want." And he was smiling.

The child moved backwards away from him then turned and ran across the garden to an old tyre swing hanging from an ancient apple tree.

And she swung her legs back and forth and she went higher and higher and Spencer stood and watched. Reid took a small bit of paper out of his pocket and folded it and twisted it into the shape of a cat, and placed it on a post on the garden fence.

The garden was huge. More like a wilderness. It had once belonged to a mansion which had long ago been gutted in a fire. It was full of wild flowers and long grass, enormous bushes and giant trees. Right at the back of the garden was a small house. It almost disappeared into the background, and this is where Floyd was now guiding Reid to.

Reid took another look back at the girl on the swing, and for just a second he thought she was something else.

"Welcome to your new home, boy." The man said, and Reid grinned back with wide excited eyes and said,

"Thank you Floyd."

And Reid was added to the list of people who had disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3 Nibbles and Nails

Nibbles and Nails

Disclaimer: nope nothing mine, except for the story.

So.

This is what happens. The man with the hat and the hair takes off his coat and offers to take Reid's jacket.

Reid stands inside the hallway of the small cottage which is at the back of the over grown garden, and peers into the room with the big black open door. He notices that it smells sort of funny. It's the rotting smell again.

It's almost as if the house itself was decaying. The place is small and cramped and full of books. As he wanders into the room he hears a noise behind him. He spins around to see the man behind him, grinning.

Reid can see the man's face better now. Dark eyes on a small almost feminine face. Dark framed glasses. Tanned skin and a big smile with normal sized teeth. His hair is shoulder length black and un- brushed. There seem to be twigs and bits of things unknown plaited into his hair in places. His clothes are the most normal part about him. He is wearing low slung jeans with a grey shirt and waistcoat, and of course the black dusty cowboy boots. He has another cheroot in his mouth, and he seems rather amused at something.

"So, Dr Reid. You are happy to be here? It's her birthday soon." And he tilts his head in the direction of the garden. "She can be quite demanding at times. I trust you are up to this."

"Yes." Reid replies in a very distracted manner as his eyes flick over the books piled up inside the room. "Yes sure."

"Then a drink!" and the man strides over to a cupboard on in the room and picks up two tumblers, "What will you be having?"

"What? Oh. Water please."

"What about me?" asks a little shrill voice from the door way.

"Ah princess, what do you desire?"

"Can I open my present?"

The man looks over at Reid and grins again. "Sweetheart I think it's too early for that. Why don't you show him to his room? He will want to get comfortable before it gets dark. He doesn't like the dark. Won't that be fun!"

And the little girl claps her hands and reaches out for Reid. "This way." And her fingernails are like claws which dig into Reid's hand as he allows himself to be lead away and down the corridor. He looks down at her hands and sees that her nails are painted alternate blood red and glossy black. He smiles.

* * *

All hell had broken loose in the hotel.

"He can't just disappear. Something happened. I don't know what…but something happened." Morgan was pacing around the small lobby.

"It's obvious something happened." Prentiss snapped back. "And we don't need the genius to figure that one out do we?"

"No we don't need him, but Prentiss, some of us actually like Reid!"

And they are shouting at each other. The bits of broken phone now sitting in a forensic bag on the reception counter, and the small paper cat in another bag.

The local police had been called over to the hotel, and sniffer dogs were being used to see if they could work out at least in which direction Reid had gone. The dogs had obviously picked up on something, but as they got closer to the forest they seemed to loose the scent completely. Once again there seemed to be no trace of what happened.

"There is just something not right about this place" and JJ shuddered, and Prentiss looked uncomfortable, and Gideon had an unreadable look. Morgan strolled out of the hotel front doors and slammed them behind him. Hotch was close behind.

"This just makes no sense." Morgan was shouting. "He can't just disappear and leave no trace. This isn't the X-Files!" Morgan kicked at the shingle in the hotel drive.

"I don't have the answers Derek. We need to stay focused and get on with victimology. There has to be a connection somewhere."

"But Hotch, we haven't even been here 24 hours. How can Reid have a connection with this?"

"This is why we have to stay calm and do our job. Tomorrow we will go check out the scarecrows. There is something not right about that."

And with a resigned nod Derek followed Hotch back into the hotel.

* * *

And Reid screamed.

And the child giggled, and chewed on the bloated rat.

The man sat at his desk and typed rapidly and smiled at the sounds coming from the special room where his princess was playing.

"She's going to break this one before morning if she's not careful." He said to himself and he got up and walked down the corridor in the direction of the screams.

The door was huge and metal studded. It was black but almost seemed to move and swell of its own accord. The light was dim and the wind started to howl as Floyd pushed open the door to a small dark room.

"Princess, come here." He commanded. "You need to be more careful. This one must last. At least until the people he arrived with have given up looking for him and left."

"I was just trying to have a quick look." The little voice grumbled.

"No unwrapping sweet. It's not your birthday yet. Just a few more days." And the man looked over to the corner of the room at Reid shackled to the wall. A wide metal collar around his neck and his hands and feet secured by chains to the floor. He was sitting slumped with a small trickle of blood coming from a small cut on his neck.

They turned away from him and left the dark damp rat infested room, and closed the door securely behind them.


	4. Chapter 4 Body Parts

Body Parts

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine.

The team departed from the hotel at first light. They had been awake for most of the night, and at least one person had been awake at all times. Just in case Reid came back from where ever it was he had gone to.

The SUV's travelled a bit too fast down the forest road back to where they had seen the scarecrows the previous day.

Hotch, Gideon, Morgan, and Prentiss got out of the cars. JJ had stayed behind to talk to press about the strange things happening in the area.

They stood and took in the scene, and it was only now that they noticed the cloying smell of decay. They stood and looked at each other for a minute before approaching the nearest scarecrow.

Morgan got to it first and he stood with his head cocked slightly to one side. "There is something very creepy about this." He said quietly.

The scarecrow had a rotting pumpkin for a head and a stick and straw body. It had been clothed in a wedding dress covered in sequins. It was hard to tell now because of decay, but it looked like the pumpkin part of it had been made up with red lipstick. It had a long yellow wig, which had slipped to the right a bit, and a rusty tiara on the top. A pair of rotting satin shoes were at the base of the tree it was hanging from…by its neck.

Morgan shook his head "This is just not normal."

They moved onto the next one.

"Emily, take photos please." Hotch asked. Prentiss was wearing a puzzled and slightly disgusted look as she started to snap pictures of the scarecrows.

The next one was once again pumpkin head stick and straw, but was dressed as a man. Jeans and a Metallica T-Shirt. A pair of DM's had been put at the base of this tree and the mannequin was tied around the middle by nylon rope. It was wearing a hat made of sticks and leaves. It too was slowly rotting.

Click, click of the camera as Prentiss walked slowly forwards taking more pictures.

"These are definitely creepy." She muttered. "But do we think they have anything to do with the disappearances?"

They carried on doing this for twenty minutes when Hotch suddenly called out. "Team…over hear, quickly."

What they saw they couldn't quite understand at first. It was a female mannequin, but the head, there was something wrong with the head. Though it was still a pumpkin, there seemed to be something inside. Hotch picked up a stick off the forest floor and carefully started to pull the fruit away.

The head fell with a thump to the floor. It rolled and bounced and came to rest next to Gideon' foot.

Prentiss let out a surprised yelp and Morgan used some rather foul language.

"My god, is that one of the missing people?"

* * *

It was morning and Reid was sitting out in the garden with the princess. He was showing her card tricks and sleight of hand. She was dancing and squealing with happiness.

Reid no longer had on his grey jacket. His light brown shirt sleeves were rolled up and he was sitting cross legged in his brown cords. His watch was now on the wrist of the child who danced and laughed in front of him. She was wearing an old pink bridesmaid dress, which was ripped and stained with something dark and brown over the front. She had bright green tights which were ripped and she had on her feet a pair of pink Wellingtons. She had carefully applied makeup which had since seemed to have slipped down her white face in black lines, and the lipstick was scarlet and thick. It seemed to have run, like candle wax and was in drips on her chin.

"More, more!" she yelled and jumped as Reid made the coin come and go before her eyes.

The man stood watching. Leaning on a tree and smoking a cheroot. He was looking concerned and kept looking towards the forest. "Five more minutes' princess, then you need to put him back. Something has happened. I need to go check it out." Then man then walked back into his house looking happy that his princess was being gentle today, and he sat at his desk and started typing, his fingers moving swiftly over the keys.

Reid lay down in the grass as the princess pulled him backwards. He let a surprised umph and lay squirming as she tickled the bit of tummy which was showing where his shirt had ridden up. The shirt gradually got lifted higher as the child tickled harder, and the amused look on Reid's face changed as the nails dug into his chest. He swung around and got to his knees.

"Stop it now. That hurts." He said, the smile slowly leaving his face.

"Oh so sorry, but that's how I like it Dr. And you are mine."

Reid stood and tried to push the child off him, but her nails which now seemed more like claws dug deeper in and her legs wrapped around him like a vice, and she laughed and her face came up to Reid's and she bit him on the neck with her sharp yellow teeth.

His scream alerted the man, "Damnit." And he left his computer and ran out into the garden. "Princess, what did I tell you. Be gentle with this one…and absolutely no un-wrapping."

She shouted a cry of disappointment and jumped down to the grass.

"Now go put him away. We have things we need to do." Reid was standing looking confused with his hand to his neck. "and Spencer dear friend, stop making such a fuss, it was only a little bite." And he grabbed Reid by the arm and pulled him back into the house. "I'll put him away. Princess, go get ready for a walk."

"Give me your shoes."

"What?"

"Give me your shoes, or it will be me un-wrapping you, and princess wont like that."

"My shoes?" Reid looked confused. "I I…you want - you want my shoes?"

How Reid ended up on his back again, this time on the hall floor he didn't know, but the wind was knocked out of him, and his shoes were roughly taken off his feet.

"I need them. Now get up and move your sorry arse back to your room."


	5. Chapter 5 Nice Surprises

Birthday Parties and Other Nice Things.

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

**A/N Thank you to all the wonderful people who continue to read and review this story. You are all fab!**

Hotchner, Gideon, Morgan, and Prentiss continued to look at the mannequins and scarecrows. Some had been placed in what looked to be family groups, and others seemed to be alone. Some were sitting or standing and attached to the trees with rope, and others hung by necks or arms and in some cases legs. It was a macabre sight, and Emily kept on taking pictures, glad to have the camera between her and the odd life sized rotting dolls.

"Oh shit!"

It was Morgan.

He was standing next to what looked to be a business man….scarecrow in a suit. It had obviously been there some time and the pumpkin head had completely rotted away, but that wasn't what Morgan was looking at. He had a gents shoe in his hand and was holding it at arms length. Inside the shoe was a well rotted foot.

It was bagged and marked and photographed.

"We must check every one of them." Said Gideon calmly. And so the team started to pick their way further into the forest looking at the shoes and the heads, and wondering what they would find next.

"How has this gone unreported?" Wondered Emily.

They must have checked about 20 of them when the team reached a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a tree…and hanging from the tree by its neck was a scarecrow. The team stood and stared at it, and as Morgan started to run forwards he was grabbed my Gideon and told to stop.

"Wait." He said in a very quiet authoritative voice. "Wait, and do this properly. Emily photos please."

And her shaking hand came up and click, click, went the camera.

The scarecrow was new. Its head still fresh and it had an insane face carved on it. It was wearing brown pants and a shirt. It was also wearing Reid's jacket and messenger bag. Reid's glasses had been stabbed into the face of the mannequin.

If the team had not been in so much shock at what they were seeing they might have noticed a glimpse of a child watching them from between the trees. They might have seen a man standing behind her, his hands protectively resting on her shoulders, and they might have noticed him bending down and whispering something in her ear. She turned her head – at what would have seemed an impossible angle – and smiled with too many teeth at the man with the hair, and a hat and glasses. But they didn't.

Hotch and Gideon slowly walked towards the thing hanging from the tree. It was then that they noticed on the ground…scattered like confetti dozens of different coloured origami animals.

"This is just so not right." Said Morgan as his brain took in what he was seeing.

Gideon already gloved up carefully looked in the pockets of Reid's jacket. They were all empty. Hotch checked out the bag. It was full. But not with what he had expected.

Hotch jumped back in disgust and shock and called Gideon over. Carefully he lifted the flap of Reid's bag. Inside were lumps of what could only be described as bits of human flesh. Fingers, toes, eyes, clumps of hair of different colours and textures, and each at slightly different stages of decomposition. The stench was over powering, and they dropped the bag flap back down and moved away with hands over their noses.

"Photos please Prentiss." Commanded Hotch. "As you are so good at compartmentalising."

"Er, yes sir." And Emily sobbed inside as she was made by her boss to take the vile pictures. "I er, was thinking…do you…Reid?"

was all she managed to say, but they all knew what she was thinking as the camera went click, click, click.

………………………………….

There was going to be a party. And the princess wanted, no, demanded that it was today. She knew it was a day early but she so wanted to play with her present properly. The lawn, much over grown had a big blanket on it, and the princess was placing little pink plates and dishes of delightfully sweet looking things on it. She was in a party dress. She had changed for the occasion. She looked like the Cheer Leader from Hell, as she skipped and cart-wheeled around the edge of the party blanket.

Reid was standing watching, with a strange smile on his face and stranger clothes on his body. He was not in his normal attire at all. He had a baggy black T-shirt with a light coloured waistcoat over the top…left undone. It had a row of tiny golden buttons down the front of it. His pants were very odd. They were only came to just below the knee…the fabric matched his waistcoat. He was then wearing long socks…one striped black and white, the other plain black. They were pulled up high then the legs of the trousers tucked into them. He had on a pair of pale pink trainers.

Reid's hair was unkempt and falling around his face, as he grinned down at the princess.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"No. You haven't put your hat on." And her voice was sweet and sulky and menacing.

"But I will look like a fool!" and he smiled

"You look like a fool already, and as you are my birthday present, and I want you to wear the hat, don't you think you should?"

"Well if you put it that way." He pointed to the house. "I left it in side. I was hoping your would forget."

And Reid sauntered happily back to the house with his thumbs tucked into his waistband.

…………………………………

JJ was waiting for the team to get back and tell them what she had found out. Not a lot. There was no cell reception where the others were, so she paced circles around reception.

"Agent Jereau?" a voice snapped next to her, making her jump out of her thoughts.

"Yes? Can I help you?"

It was a tall man with straggly white hair and dungarees.

"I was asked to give you this."

And he handed her a package.

She took it cautiously "Who asked you to give this to me?"

"A kid. She said you might find it interesting."

JJ turned the package over in her hands. "Did she say anything else?" but when JJ looked up the door was slamming and the man was in his truck already leaving the car park.

JJ took the package and decided to take it up to her room to have a closer look. It was wrapped in brown paper, and stuck with tape. There was no writing on it, just what looked to be a few dirty smears. She sat on her bed and slowly pulled back the paper. She knew she should wait and hand this over to Hotch, but she suddenly felt so excited. It was like getting a surprise birthday present. The excitement of it made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end, and her fingers tingle.

At first she was unsure what she was looking at. It was slightly squishy and about 12" square and 3" deep, and a strange pinkish brown colour. It was almost like uncured leather. Actually it was exactly like uncured leather. She turned it over slowly in her hands, the excitement building until it made her eyes water. She stroked it gently. It was strangely warm to the touch.

"Hey, what have we got here?" she said quietly to it.

The leathery stuff had been sewn together with string threaded through holes, and tied tightly. She lifted it up to smell and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"I need to show you to Hotch." She mumbled and started to put down next to her, but she couldn't quite let go of it, and moved it back to her lap.

"I am wondering what's inside."

She was saying to herself.

"Is it something nice?"

And slowly without really knowing what she was doing she undid the string holding the odd parcel together. She lifted a corner and peeped inside. This is when the odd spell she had been under suddenly broke. JJ screamed and threw it to the floor. It made an unhealthy splatting sound, and maggots squeezed their way out of the opening. The smell was so intense that JJ thought she was going to chuck up in her lap. She ran from the room leaving the odd present where she had thrown it, where is oozed things and smells, and bloated and shrank, and made little sad noises.

………………………………..

Reid entered the house to retrieve the hat he had dumped on the hallway hat stand, and there was the man. He stood and looked at Reid with a face so full of hate and repulsion that Reid took a step back.

"Is there something wrong?"

The man took a step forwards.

"I don't like you."

"Oh, did I d d do s something wrong?" he stammered slightly.

"Yes boy. You did something wrong."

The fist which impacted with Reid's face felt like he had been hit with a sledgehammer. He staggered back and hit the back of his head on the wall.

"What the hell was that for?" He shouted. His mouth was bleeding. And he wiped at it with the back of his hand.

"That is a reminder of just who is in charge here. You will do well not to forget. Now take the hat and amuse the princess or Agent Jereau will get another gift this time in a head sized box."

……………………………


	6. Chapter 6 Skin

Skin

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

_TinHet said – It's not the size of the hat which counts, it's the size of the head._

Reid walked back into the garden holding the hat and looking confused.

"Hey hat on…or you get no food." Yelled the princess; so reluctantly Reid put on his tricorn pirate hat.

"I look a fool." He said grinning at the child.

"Yes Spence, you do." She replied

"Pardon?" and something strange tickled at the back of Reid's mind. "You called me Spence?"

"Oh sorreeeeee Doctor Reid." And she kicked angrily at the grass.

"No…no its – its ok….It just reminded me of something."

"Of what?" And her hands were on her hips "And what have you done to your face? Is that blood?" and she ran over to him and in one pounce was hanging around his neck with her legs wrapped around him, licking at the drying blood on his chin. She suddenly stopped and was looking at something over her shoulder. Reid turned to see what it was.

The man with the hair and the hat and the dusty cowboy boots was standing watching. "Put him down princess. Tomorrow, remember?"

"I was just having a little taste!" But she jumped down and ran back to the blanket "Come on Spencer, eat some cake. Put some meat on your bones."

The man was next to Reid before he could move. "Keep her amused boy. The longer you keep her amused the longer you will have." He handed Reid a small paper elephant, which Reid smiled at and lifted to his nose to sniff, and in a blink the man was back standing at the door of the house. Reid walked slowly towards the child, working out quickly in his head the order of little tricks he would play on his new friend.

………….

The team collected up the paper animals and bagged them. Then they carefully removed Reid's belongings from the tree.

"We need to start back to the cars" Hotch said. Time had been passing at a very odd rate, and now suddenly it was late afternoon, and this really was the last place they wanted to be in the dark. Slowly they picked their way back to the SUV's marking what they had seen and Prentiss continuing to click the camera at strange things hanging in the trees.

They were nearly back to the cars when Emily saw something. "Guys, look at this."

Hanging from a tree were dozens of compact discs. They were some old and some new. Of the most part they were freebees which had been advertising various things, but one of them had handwriting on its plain side. Carefully Prentiss untied it from the string it was hanging from, and read aloud what it said.

"Thank you for Reid. He is very entertaining."

She turned it over in her hand, and the disc looked new and shiny. She handed it to Hotchner who quickly bagged it. "We will have a look at that when we get back." He said in a slightly shaky voice, but knowing that Reid was still alive.

……………

JJ was waiting for them in the car park when they got back.

"I have something to show you." She said, "Where have you been? I thought you were only going to look at the things in the woods. You have been hours, and there is something I really have to show you!"

Hotch took hold of JJ's arm. "Sorry, time seemed to slip away from us. We found some rather disturbing things in the woods JJ. What did you find?"

"I didn't find anything Hotch. I was delivered to me. It's in my room."

Curious, the team followed JJ to her bedroom. "I don't want to go back in there. It's revolting. Just remove it for me someone, or get me another room."

Slowly Hotch, Gideon, Morgan, and Prentiss entered JJ's room. The smell was immediate. Decomp. They had been smelling that a lot in the woods today. It was a sadly familiar smell. The thing was still laying on the floor, but maggots had crawled out and were wriggling around on the floor near to it.

"What the hell is that!" said Morgan as he slipped on gloves and walked carefully towards it. The package and split open where JJ had thrown it and the contents could be seen. Morgan shone a torch at it to see if he was really seeing what it looked like. Inside the package were bits of what looked at first like wet ribbon, but when he took a bit in his hand and pulled it, he realised what it was.

"Christ! That's skin…strips of skin." But he kept on pulling it out of the macabre packet, because he could see deep inside something dark. At last he reached in and pulled out the object which had been nestled in the middle of the pack. Morgan just stared at it, then passed it over to Hotchner. It was Reid's FBI ID.

Gideon stood and looked at the odd package. "That is human skin." He said bluntly.

Emily ran from the room nearly knocking JJ over on the way out.

…………

The party was over and Reid was being taken back to his special room. Something seemed to register in his foggy mind when he saw the strange black door, and he stopped walking.

"Move it." The man said and prodded Reid from behind, and slowly Reid opened the door and walked in.

How long had passed? He had no idea. He just knew that he was in a room alone again chained to the wall. He had been stripped of his party clothes and was in sweats and t-shirt. He could hear giggling and whispering in the room around him, and someone struck a match and lit a candle.

The princess sat on the floor in front of Reid nibbling on something with her too sharp teeth and her too wide eyes watched Spencer. Reid slowly looked around the room. Pumpkins stood in a pile in the corner, rats ran over and around them. Against the wall were chains and manacles. Some of them still had bits of people hanging from them. On a shelf on the far side was a line of carved pumpkin heads interspaced with rotting human ones. Reid moaned and looked away. And the princess sat and chewed on a boiled foot. She held it out in front of her.

"Want some?"

……….

JJ put the DVD in the machine and they sat and watched.

It showed Reid playing with a child, pushing her on a swing.

It showed him doing card tricks and sleight of hand, and the child giggling. It gave no clear picture of the child though…just a glimpse of hair and hands and feet.

It showed Reid in a dark room. Someone had used infra red to view him. He was screaming and struggling against manacles and bonds, and someone small was taunting him with what looked to be a razor and some sort of vegetable peeler.

Then a voice.

A mans voice

"This was such an easy catch. The fun was over almost before it started."

Then more screams.

The DVD stopped.


	7. Chapter 7 The Invite

The Invite

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine….and neither is the theme to Clockwork Orange!! Ggrr

Reid woke up from a nightmare.

He had been chasing monsters again, and he failed. He lay on his stomach and wondered just for a second where he was.

Then he remembered.

The pain was intense and as he tried to roll over he screamed out as it felt like someone had set his back on fire.

He was laying in filth in the room he was being kept in. He was still in his sweatpants but he could feel the cold rough floor beneath him, so he knew his top had been removed. He didn't know when. He didn't know why. He just knew that no person should be in this much pain and still be alive. Sobbing in agony he reached his hands behind him to see why his back hurt so much. It was sticky and it felt like someone had removed a good few layers of skin from his back.

"Don't worry, it will heal." Reid could hardly hear the voice talking to him through the screams of pain in his head.

"What – what did y y you do to me?" He whispered to the man standing watching him.

"Sorry boy, but it wasn't me. She did insist on it."

"On – on what?"

"Oh, on starting to un-wrap you of course. I did warn you. Keep her amused I said. But she gets bored easily and a few card tricks won't keep my princess amused for long."

He crouched down next to Reid's head.

"As I said, it will heal and she is really quite good at it now and I promise it won't hurt for long."

He ruffled Reid's hair and stood up.

"Oh and Spencer, she will need to be protected and kept safe from the monsters. You must understand that. They can't be allowed to get her. She is very special." And he dropped a paper cat on the floor which Reid automatically reached for and sniffed.

………………..

The team sent the DVD to Garcia who was going to analyze until it melted if needs be.

The package was sent to the CSI's and they waited anxiously to see if they had been sent bit of Reid or not. They then decided that a trip back to the scarecrows was the best option. JJ insisted on coming with them this time. If Spencer was in trouble she wanted to be there to help, not sitting at the hotel waiting for his body parts to be mailed to her. They took with them a large amount of local police and some forest rangers. They also made sure they could all stay in contact with each other with radio.

"I still don't know why this hasn't been reported before." Emily was saying to the officer in charge. "You must have noticed something was odd."

"To be honest missy, I never really took much notice of it before. Never realised there were so many." He stood shaking his head and scratching his chin looking puzzled by what he was looking at.

They walked into the forest. Gideon walking in front with Hotch close behind. The smell was unbelievable. A rather sick mixture of decomp, rotting pumpkins, and a sort of mouldy odour. Some of the scarecrows had real heads. Rotting heads, of real people. Some of them had limbs. Some of them had feet still in the shoes. Nearly all of them had some body part attached. Those that didn't probably had done once, but had been taken by animals.

They could hear the occasional "Oh my god." And other curses as different people found different bits of different victims. What the team were just not able to understand was how this had gone on for so long and no one had thought to see what it was.

Why had this place not been searched when the people got reported missing? And how many victims were there here? Was each one a different vic, or had the unsub mixed the parts around? At this point they had no idea.

It seemed to be quicker this time reaching the tree where they had found Reid's things. There was something pinned to the tree.

Morgan went to move forwards quickly but was stopped by Gideon.

"Wait." Was all Jason said.

Emily took pictures and Hotch and Gideon walked slowly forwards to see what it was a picture of. It had been printed off then laminated. It showed Reid laying down in a dark room wearing just sweatpants. He wasn't shackled or tied up in the picture, and sitting with her back to the camera was what appeared to be a little girl. The way he was splayed out on the floor of the room it was not possible to say if he was dead or alive. His eyes were closed, but his mouth seemed to be open in a silent still scream.

Gideon snatched the picture from the tree and saw that under it was a letter addressed to Hotch. He took the letter in his gloved hands and passed it over to Hotch. He opened it carefully.

_Hotchner, go back to the hotel. There is something waiting for you there._

He silently handed the letter over to Gideon. Emily read it over his shoulder, and JJ just stood and stared at the picture. They all suddenly regretted not leaving someone behind at the hotel. Morgan was moving at a run back the way they came.

"Oh god, the unsub has killed him." Moaned JJ, and she seemed to go a bit wobbly on her feet.

"I don't think so JJ." Gideon said, "In fact I know he hasn't. They are playing games. If they kill Reid the game is over and they are still playing with us."

With that Gideon started to walk briskly back to the cars.

So the search was called off yet again. They all noticed how they never seemed to get further than the tree, but still again they didn't feel compelled to go beyond it. No one mentioned this. They just ignored it and went back to the hotel.

Waiting for them was another letter. Printed again. Hotch opened it and inside was a party invite.

_To, Agents Hotchner, Gideon, Morgan, Prentiss and Jareau._

_You are invited to a party in the cottage garden._

_Just follow the tree._

They were going to a party.

Morgan contacted Garcia to see if there was any news on anything from the DVD to help them.

"I have looked at that recording and put it through every test and whatnot that you can even begin to understand, and nada. There is no background noise. There are no distinguishing features showing in the room. No windows, nothing. Just what you can see. Only what you can hear. It's wrong. There should be something in the background. Some static even, but nothing."

……………

Reid was wearing the strange clothes again, but the waistcoat was laying over the fence and he was wearing a blue t-shirt. He was smiling and pushing the princess on her swing. She was wearing denim shorts with over the knee socks (one blue/green stripes, and one red/black spots), she had her favourite silver sandals on and a much too small for her pink shirt which was popping open at the tummy. Her hair was matted and dirty, and she had done her makeup with lots of black eyeliner and too much lipstick. It was badly done and very smudged and she was covered in ground in filth. She smiled with a smile that was too big, as she kicked her legs out to go higher and higher.

The man was standing watching and making little animals out of twisted paper.

It was her birthday and she intended on enjoying her present to the full. Floyd had arranged more guests it was just going to be so much fun. She giggled and drooled in excitement.

"Push harder Spencer!" she laughed, and he did.

Reid couldn't feel the liquid oozing from his back onto the t-shirt. He couldn't feel the agony of his split flayed skin. All he could feel was happiness that the princess was having a good day today. He was also looking forward to the guests arriving. He had no idea who it would be. Different faces would be nice for a change, as long as she was happy. As long as he entertained her and she didn't get bored.

Floyd came over to Reid and put some little things in his hands. "Put them in your trouser pockets, you might need them later."

And smiling Reid did as he was told, as his skin cracked and wept and bled onto his shirt. The man then put a baseball bat into Reid's hand. "Purely for entertainment value, I think it would amuse the princess if you used this later." And with a smirk he walked back into the house.

The birds weren't singing. It was a world with just the princess and Reid, and he liked it and wanted nothing to spoil it. She was singing a song and smiling her big sharp toothy smile, and she was waiting to un-wrap Reid properly tonight. Body and soul.

Suddenly the child leapt off the swing, and ran towards the gate "They're coming!" she shouted.

And Reid could hear people walking quickly towards the garden.

And Floyd was suddenly there again, smoking a cheroot, offering up a paper gift and warning Reid. "Protect her."

Reid nodded and took a step forwards placing his hand on the girls shoulder and gripped the bat tightly in his hand.


	8. Chapter 8 The Protector

The Protector

**A/N I write for fun. This is not going to be up to the same standard as professional writing so please don't expect it to be. I am not a profiler. **

**Thank you to all my wonderful readers and reviewers :c) PS have been ill in lots of ways…very sorry for the delay and general crappiness of this chapter.**

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds belongs to some rich bloke not me.

The team gathered the local force together again. They looked at maps and charted the places where the scarecrows where in relation to the tree, and tried to work out where they would end up if they followed the instructions and took the trail beyond the tree.

"What is this square marked on the map?" Gideon asked a forest ranger.

"It marks the remains of an old plantation house. It was destroyed decades ago. There is nothing there now but the remains of the old gardens and the old gardener's house. It's been empty for as long as I can remember, and probably over grown and part of the forest again by now."

SWAT was called in. Every man available was called up. There was no way they were just going to walk down that path straight into a trap. This would be done their way. They put on jackets and got ready.

…………..

She was hanging on quite tightly to his arm. Her nails digging in and drawing blood, but Reid didn't notice. His whole body was tingling with anticipation of what was going to happen. He knew people would arrive. He knew they would try to either take him or the princess. He knew that Floyd would watch. He was ready.

They appeared through the trees. Men in helmets and jackets with guns. They crouched and aimed weapons in Reid's direction. They were awaiting orders.

Hotch walked slowly forwards, gun in hand but not raised, "Reid." He said quietly and raised an empty hand towards him. "Let go of the girl and come over here."

The child moved quicker than it could register in their brains. She planted herself on Reid's side, legs wrapped around him, arms around his neck, and mouth open on his shoulder.

Reid stood and looked at Hotch. Hotch walked a bit closer. "Reid." He said quietly.

He seemed to be rocking gently back and forth. His face was blank. Slowly he took a step forwards, but stopped when the crunching sound of someone biting into him was heard.

"Stop him Spence." She said, her words muffled by Reid's skin ripping and being sucked into her mouth.

Morgan moved faster than light. He was there and pulling the child off Reid before Hotch or Gideon could stop him or move. The pain which travelled through the side of his head forced him to let go of his grip on the strange Reid eating child and fly backwards, skidding along the ground on his back. Reid's bat was swinging again for the next person in line. The child was screaming with delight but there seemed to be no expression on Reid's face at all. Gideon leapt in for a rugby tackle while Hotch put up his arms to protect his face. Something made a loud crack, and blood gushed from Reid's shoulder where the girl had sunk her teeth in again.

SWAT were twitching and preparing, but as there were too many people in the way, and the enemy now seemed to be one of them, they had no target. Reid was forced down to his knees by Gideon who then pulled at the child. He was hesitant to pull too hard as he had no idea how hard she was biting down onto Reid.

Reid's back cracked and wept ooze, his shoulder was soaked in hot blood, and his face seemed to be registering something. Morgan had recovered and was behind Reid pulling him backwards. Reid screamed.

"Don't hurt her!"

and he rolled over and tried to get the princess between him and the ground, but she was slipping away. She had let go and was sliding and crawling almost like a spider through the long grass. Prentiss and Hotch chased her, but she just seemed to shrink away and disappear into the ground.

"Where the hell did she go?" called Prentiss. Hotch stood holding what he suspected was a broken arm shaking his head.

Reid continued to flail and scream as Gideon held him down on his front, and the SWAT guys moved in.

"Search the place. Tear it apart. Find them."

"Don't hurt her." Reid was shouting over and over, struggling and writhing under Gideon's hands. He noticed the way the t-shirt was sticking to his back and he noted the blood loss. He called for a medic as he put his hand over the rip on Reid's shoulder and the struggling gradually slowed until he lay prone under his mentor.

………….

The man with the hair and the hat and the glasses was running stooped over down a dark earthen tunnel….this princess was running in front of him backwards, laughing and giggling with Reid's blood dripping off her chin.

"Did you have fun princess?" he asked with a smile.

"Oh the best fun."

"You want more?"

"Oh yes please Floyd!" and she turned and ran into the dark tunnel giggling and singing.

……………

Reid lay on the grass and sobbed and cried and begged them to let him go.

"I I I need to go with – I need to go with them."

"Where? Where do you need to go Reid." Gideon was asking gently trying to calm his young confused friend.

"Please, just let me go."

The medic was shaking his head "He won't be going anywhere. How he is still able to even talk with this amount of damage I don't know."

And Gideon could feel the wracks of pain and sobbing through Reid's body as the medics carefully lifted him and carried him back through the woods to the road.

**A/N stopping this chapter here. I want to post and I feel so ill…..So sorry if its really bad…just needed to get this bit done….more to follow soon I hope. I have a nasty muscle wasting condition in my hands I am being treated for (sort of) and it is very distracting trying to type with only half a hand and painful cramps and spasms etc….So again sorry for the general awfulness of this chapter…I am sure I will be back to normal real soon.**


	9. Chapter 9 Coming Down

Coming Down

Disclaimer: not mine blah blah yadda yadda

_Ran Sai Lin once asked: Where the hell did Bern go?_

Reid held a small flaming torch. He was in the forest alone. It was dark and very misty. There was no sound. Maybe sound had been dampened by the fog? He was wearing shorts that came to just above his knees, a very baggy white shirt and the waistcoat he had been wearing previously. He was had on a pair of sturdy hiking boots with one red and one green sock and a wide brimmed hat. It was cold and the fog from his quick breaths merged with the mists surrounding him. He was standing listening for something. Spinning on the spot he jumped as he walked into a tree branch. He started to run. The trees snagging at him, roots trying to trip him, running towards something. Something whispering his name.

"Where are you?" He started to shout. "I can't see you!"

His hair was falling in his face sticking to the feverish sweat beginning to cover him.

"Princess, I am lost!"

……

Voices faint in the background. Voices he had to escape from. They were trying to pull him back.

"He's not awake."

"Drugged."

"Spores."

"Very lucky."

"Hallucinating."

"He will be ………………….." and the voices trailed of into the darkness.

……

Reid reached the garden and he stopped again to listen for the sound of laughter. There was nothing. Complete silence. A silence only found in vacuum. A darkness only found in nightmares. He started to run towards the house. The light from his torch guttering and flickering as he ran.

"Hey Spence."

And something grabbed him hard on the ankle. Reid tipped forwards without putting his hands out to save him and landed with a hard smack on his face. The torch flew from his hands and landed near an old dried out currant bush, where it immediately caught and burst into flame. The whole garden was suddenly lit up with dancing red flames. Reid looked to where his foot was trapped. The princess was sitting there half buried in the ground licking her lips.

"Thought you weren't coming back."

"They took me. I couldn't find you."

Reid sat up and turned around and gently stroked the child's hair.

…..

Obviously the team had all been worried about Reid. He had broken Hotch's arm and Morgan had a massive lump on the side of his head. Gideon was the only one permitted to see Reid and that had been under serious protest from the hospital staff.

He sat in the corner of Reid's room, and watched as the orderly restrained the flailing kicking Reid to the bed.

"Is that necessary? I will be here if he wakes."

The orderly looked over at the FBI agent sitting waiting for his friend.

"Says here on the sheet I have to, but I will get the doctor to come in and have a word with you."

And the man left and Reid whimpered in his drug induced sleep.

Gideon sipped at the luke warm coffee and watched the man he thought of as a son going through withdrawal of what ever drugs they had been using on him. On all of them. Spores? Something in the air. Something to do with the paper animals. Reid had been making those back in Quantico. What had made him do that? He had never seen Reid make those before their trip over here, so what had happened back then to make Reid do that, and how had that made him susceptible to what happened later and why had he just wondered off with these people?

…..

Garcia had the lap top the man had been using in the house. It was hooked up to all and everything and she was sitting rubbing her feet staring at it.

JJ and Morgan entered her bunker and took a seat either side.

"So babes, what do you have?"

"He was filming Reid, but we already know that. There isn't much more of that on here, so I am thinking that's really all they did on those lines. There are these."

Garcia opened a file.

"It's either gobbledygook or a code. I am working on it."

The screen was covered in symbols and letters. "So far nada. There are hundreds of these." And she flicked over to the menu to show the long list of file names. "I am gathering information on the dates attached to the files to see if they match anything else happening with the case, but nothing yet I am afraid. There is nothing else on this baby at all. Nothing deleted just these odd things."

……

Reid wiggled around and looked at the face of the princess in the light of the fire. He could feel it hot on his back, but all he needed to know was that the child was safe. He slowly moved his hands down from her hair to her shoulders, then gently along her arms. Holding her by her hands he started to pull the rest of her out of the ground. It made an interesting loud sucking noise as her arms parted with her shoulders and her laugh was high and wild.

Reid screamed.

……..

Gideon leapt up from his chair and ran to Reid's side and the scream ripped through him and he bucked and shook his head from side to side drooling and flying saliva over Gideon. His arms and feet secured to the bed he was unable to escape whatever it was going on in his head. He gently wiped Reid's face with a damp cloth as Reid mumbled and muttered "No no nonononono." His hands clasping into fists. "lemmgo lemmego"

The doctor came in and checked the restraints. "He will come out of this soon Agent Gideon. This looks far worse than it really is."

And Reid stopped screaming and muttering and lay still very quietly slowly going blue around his lips.

……

The disembodied hands joined onto the ripped out arms flew at Reid's throat and dug their deadly fingers into Reid's neck. He wanted to pull them off, but for some reason he couldn't move his arms. The torn bleeding child laughed and giggled, "You were meant to look after me Spence." And the blood glowed in the firelight as he saw the man with the hat walking over, it started to rain, and something was licking his face, then it all went black.


	10. Chapter 10 Sweet Dreams

Sweet Dreams

**A/N please accept this posting as part of ****Gubetastic**** day. Even though I am a wonderful person and do Gube love stuff everyday!**

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine.

The ground seemed to open and suck him downwards with the little fingers still clutching at his throat and Reid still unable to move his arms to pull them off. He could feel the small bones in his neck crack with the force of the hold the princess had on him. The man stood next to him and placed a foot on the small of his back and pushed down firmly, forcing Reid further into the ground which had become a thick liquid mud.

It was sudden. His hands were somehow free, and they ripped at the hands at his throat as he gasped for air. Taking in big gulps to try to get his body working properly again, but all he managed to breath in was thick mud and his hands flailed at nothingness as the earth sucked him down and the man pushed harder with his foot.

"I warned you Spencer. I said to protect her."

……

They had to release his hands and feet so they could turn him over. There was pandemonium in the small hospital room as they realised Reid had stopped breathing. Reid's hands shot up to his neck where he clawed and dragged at some invisible hands strangling him. Bruises popped up and blood was drawn as the staff struggled to get the agent breathing again. He bucked and squirmed and kicked as he tried to take in lungs full of air, and his hands started to hit out and grasp things the rest of them couldn't see. Reid's eyes were open. They looked terrified, and all Gideon could do was stand and watch as his friend battled against the staff to help him. Trapped in a nightmare.

The orderlies and other staff attempted to hold him still as the doctor gently tipped back Reid's head and started to intubate him. Reid was making strange gagging noises and he had obviously bitten down on his tongue or the inside of his mouth as blood and drool sprayed across the room, but gradually as the tube down his throat started to do its job he began to relax again and lay still. His eyes were open and he was looking around at the people watching over him, but it was obvious to everyone that what Reid was seeing wasn't them. He was seeing 'her'.

The doctor turned to Gideon.

"We have no way of knowing how long Dr Reid had been under the influence as such of this drug. It's an unknown. We have no idea what it has done to his mind, and we do not know how long it will take until he wakes, or even if he will."

That was a lot of 'don't knows' Gideon was thinking.

But he stood and watched as colour began to return to Reid's pale face as the staff began to stick heart monitors on Reid's chest.

"The problem we face now is that he needs to be laying on his back, but that means he will be laying on those wounds on his back. He will be in a lot of pain. I will increase his morphine for now, but this is by far not ideal as we are still waiting for results to come back from the lab to find out what this drug was and how it got into his system."

They already knew that it was some kind or airborne spore, but why he was so much more effected by it they didn't know.

…..

Garcia sat at her computer bank in her bunker. She had spent the day going over and over the weirdly encrypted documents and was now sitting drinking water to go with her headache pills and making little paper animals.

…….

Reid lay on his back in the mud. He was surrounded by a small group of women all standing staring down at him. One of them was holding the princess by her hand which, her arms had somehow re-attached. In Reid's foggy mind this made total sense. The man stood looking down at him too, and was holding a long metal tube in his hand. Slowly one of the mud encrusted woman bent down and held Reid's head still in hand in a vice like grip. Her other hand moved down to Reid's jaw and she forced his mouth open. In a strange sort of slow motion the man with the hat and the glasses, moved forwards and slid the tube down Reid's throat. Reid tried to fend off the man, but the women stood on his hands and ground them back down into the mud and he could feel the bones in his fingers snap and the man started to slide things down the tube.

They wriggled.

…….

The medics came running again as the heart monitor went crazy and Reid lay staring with open empty eyes and trying to swipe something away which no one else could see.

"There has got to be a way to wake him up!" Gideon was shouting, but he was just manhandled and pulled out of the room.

"I think it's best if you let us do our job agent Gideon."

And so he stood with his hands and forehead leaning on the glass wall window, and wished that it was himself and not Reid living this nightmare.

Gideon could feel something brush gently on his arm. He turned and it was Hotchner.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly

Gideon shook his head.

"I wish they could wake him. We need to talk to him about what happened. We need to continue with this case. Any news on what Garcia found on the computer?"

"No. I have sent Morgan to go and investigate. Garcia isn't answering the phone."

…..

And a spider slid down the tube and ate its way to Reid's heart.

…..

**A/N:**

**Vid to go with story: Yes I have too much time on my hands. Search for Scarecrow under the name TinHet in YouTube.**

**It's small and naff. Enjoy.**


	11. Chapter 11 Origami in One Easy Lesson

Origami In One Easy Lesson

**A/N: I have no medical training. If things are glaringly wrong I am sorry. **

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds belongs to someone else.

"Garcia!"

She nearly fell out of her chair she jumped so much

"Hey don't do that!"

"Garcia what on earth are you doing?"

She blinked and looked at the mess around her.

"I I I don't know." She said quietly. "I did all this?" She sat and looked at the bits of twisted paper around her feet and all over the desk. "Derek I don't remember doing this."

Garcia jumped up and moved back towards the door, backing out slowly.

"I knocked. You didn't answer. You haven't been answering your phone either."

"My phone? My phone has been ringing?"

Morgan nodded, "Off the hook for the past hour." I was sent to make sure you were OK. I'm not sure you are babes."

The two of them stood and looked at what Penelope had been doing. "I can't make those things. I don't know how to."

"What have you been doing all day? Apart from taking up Reid's new hobby."

"Looking at that code thing. I'm still no closer though." She paused. "Morgan, get me Reid's laptop will you? I want to have a nose around in it."

……..

Reid could feel thing things crawling around inside his body. The spiders and the creatures the man with the hat was slipping either down the tube into Reid wriggling their way around under his skin. He tore at the skin of his stomach with his finger nails, screaming in agony as his broken fingers snapped and cracked, and he began to rip a hole in himself as his flesh came away in his broken hands.

The child knelt down in the mud next to Reid and smiled that too big smile with her too red lips and her too sharp teeth, and bent down her head and moved her too long tongue around the rip Reid had made in himself and nibbled. And the man put more things down the tube but a women with blank eyes bent down and stroked his hair out of his face and ripped the tube out of his mouth, sucking at the end of the tube to make sure nothing escaped.

……..

And in the small hospital room the young agent was pushing back his bedding and tearing at his skin as the heart monitors continued to bleep too fast and too erratically. Then his hands flew to his face clawing at the tube and trying to pull it out.

The doctor walked quickly from the room as the other staff attempted to hold Reid's hand and arms in place as they slipped the intubating tube out of Reid.

"We are going to see if we can wake him." He said to Gideon as he rushed past him.

Gideon just stood and watched from the other side of the glass with Hotch standing white faced next to him.

"They haven't tried to wake him yet?"

"Not yet. They wanted to wait for the tox reports. Looks like they can't wait any longer."

……

Garcia had Reid's laptop open and powered up.

"What's the plan?" Morgan asked as he sat down next to Pen.

"I am going to see what the hell Reid was doing last on his computer here."

She clicked on files and checked dates to find the most recent. He had a whole series of files which had originated from emails. They were numbered rather than named, and it seemed to be these that had peeked Reid's interest in the past few days before they left to check up on the missing people. She clicked open the first one.

"Oh."

"Pen?"

"Well, it seems he had been in communication of sorts with the guy who owned the other laptop from the spooky house. The files are the same. All coded, or something." She suddenly stood up. "I think I have it! I just need to prove it."

"You have what Garcia? What can you see?"

"I need to go back first and check the first of the emails Reid got."

After a few presses of buttons Garcia was beginning to unravel the messages. "Look Morgan, the first one was from someone called Floyd Flanders. It's an IQ test of sorts. A code breaking puzzle."

"And you can break it?"

"Derek my sweet, what do you think? Of course I can't break it. My lovelies here did." And she indicated her bank of computers. "Look. "

She turned laptop around so Morgan could see what she was doing.

"I just need to do this, and this, and voila!" and she sat back grinning.

"What the hell is it though?" asked Morgan leaning in closer.

"It's not a code. That's probably why Reid has been going over and over them. It's what the unsub wanted. He would never have broken the code because it isn't one."

"Garcia just tell me what the hell it is."

"Look! It's a list. It's instructions. Set to look like something else. Subliminal messages, not a code. And it looks like Reid had been looking at these for weeks. I was only at it for a few hours and it gave me orders, as such to do origami! The paper animals Derek."

"Yes I know what origami is Pen."

"So I will have to go through all of this and try to work out what this stuff was telling Reid to do." And she sat and stared at the monitor. "But then I will be getting the same messages as Reid, and I really don't want that right now. Derek, I need to quickly write a program for this. Then I can just set it up and run it through, and get the information in a more normal way."

"Go girl. I will let Hotch and Gideon know what you have found."

……..

Gideon's cell phone bleeped, so he quickly found somewhere quiet to take the call, somewhere where a member of staff wouldn't shout at him to turn his phone off.

"It's Morgan, Hotch. I will be right back." And he rushed down the corridor to a quiet corner.

Hotch nodded slowly but didn't take his eyes off the agent who was screaming and clawing at himself in the room. The doctor had come back and had set up an IV next to the bed. They put Reid back in restraints and slipped the IV into his arm. Everyone turned to look at the monitors jumping and beeping.

Gideon returned to stand next to Hotch. "Well they have something. They are still un-piling but a least we have something to go on now." Hotchner ripped his eyes away from the window and turned to Gideon.

"I'm listening, sorry." And he turned back again.

"Subliminal messages via emails. Reid's been receiving them for weeks."

A puzzled look swept over Hotch's face. "Telling him to do something? What are they? Who sent them?"

"Well seems like the unsub is called Floyd Flanders. He has been in communication with Reid on the pretence that they were IQ tests of some kind. Codes to break. We don't know yet what it's been telling him, apart for the obvious. Origami."

"But we were all effected by something in the forest Gideon. In fact the forest has been the furthest thing from my mind in quite a while. I haven't been getting weird emails. So what was effecting everyone out in the woods?"

"I don't know the answer to that one yet Aaron. We need to go back."

"I'm not leaving Reid here right now Jason. He will need someone when he wakes up. Someone familiar."

Jason nodded and looked through the window at Reid who was fighting off the staff again. "I will get the team together and go back and look."

"Jason. I was thinking. Sounds. Take something to listen with. That place was un-naturally quiet. Something was scaring the wild-life off, and I don't think it was Reid's sense of dress."

Gideon smiled and left Hotch leaning on the window.

……

Reid lay in the mud and he knew he was going to die. The child was eating him. The man in the hat and the glasses put his foot on Reid's chest and started to push him back down into the mud. The women made whimpering sounds and watched with blank sad eyes and Reid was devoured by the earth, pulling the princess down with him as she crawled around chewing and nibbling and the mud covered his face and poured down his throat into this lungs.

……

As the medication started to course through Reid something happened. Firstly he stopped breathing became slow and laboured, and so was given air attached to mask covering his nose and mouth. Then his heart stopped. This seemed to be something they were half expecting and where ready with paddles and shouting clear before Hotch realised what had happened. How much could one person go through and come out the other end normal? Well normal for Reid.

As soon as the monitors where stable and things seemed to have calmed down the doctor called Hotchner into the room.

"He is waking. Stay with him. Hold his hand or something, and keep talking to him. Avoid questions, and don't answer any he may ask you. We still don't know what the drugs have done to his state of mind."

As Hotch took the chair next to the bed and gently stroked Reid's still restrained hand, the young agents eyes seemed to focus and his head turned to Hotch.

Reid screamed.

………………


	12. Chapter 12 Nightmares

Nightmares

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine. Princess is.

Hotch leant forwards to wipe a clump of sweaty hair out of Reid's face. He was still not quite used to the plaster caste they had put on his broken forearm, but gently he brushed the hair out of his face. Reid stared at Hotch and took a big sobbing breath. Hotch smiled slightly just as Reid spat in his face. Hotch reeled back as the saliva ran down the side of his face, and he swiped angrily at it with his good arm.

"Reid, it's OK. It's me. It's Hotch."

And he placed his hand back over Reid's still restrained left hand which was in a fist so tight that Hotch could see blood dripping from cuts he was making with this fingernails. Reid turned his head away from Hotch "Don't touch me."

"Reid." He said very quietly. "You are in a hospital. You have been injured. Everything is going to be alright."

"No Hotch." And he almost spat the words out. "Everything is far from alright. You ruined everything. Why couldn't you just leave me alone?" Then he started shouting "Doctor! Unbind me damn you! I won't be kept here like a prisoner!"

Hotch let go of Reid's hand and stood back away from him as the doctor came running in. Once again the heart monitors were going crazy.

"I was afraid this might happen." Muttered the doctor and he said calming "It's alright Dr Reid, you are confused. We are not going to hurt you."

"Then undo my restraints." He hissed back in a very un-Reid like way.

"I think you need to calm down."

"I think you need to undo my restraints." He spat back "**Undo these restraints!**" and now he was pulling against them and spitting and fighting against them.

Hotch got up and stood looking at Reid. He had never seen him like this before. He knew Emily had felt the sharp side of his tongue but never anything like this. Reid was cursing and swearing words even Hotch, the SWAT guy had never said. His back was arching at an impossible angle and the newly grown skin on his back split and started to bleed again. Reid's words were now incomprehensible. Just vile noses coming from somewhere deep inside as he thrashed and foamed at the mouth.

The doctors injected something into his IV bag, and stood back ready with paddles and tubes which Hotch didn't want to know about waiting to see if it would work. Slowly Reid seemed to relax and his body stopped jerking.

Hotch went back to looking down at Reid. His face white, pink foam bubbling from his open mouth but he was breathing, and the heart monitors had a normal steady rate.

"I need to make a call." Aaron told the doctors. "Don't do anything to him until I get back" and he rushed from the room.

…..

His first call was to Gideon.

"There is something very wrong here Jason. I think we need to wait to see what is going to happen to Reid before we go back to that place."

"Hotch? What's happening?"

"I hope it isn't what it looks like. Right now Reid's mind is not his. We have to wait."

"Aaron, stay with him. I will check in with Garcia and Morgan. They seem to have an idea of what has been going on. It's the depth of it we are unsure of. I am going to check on Reid's apartment too."

And Hotch closed the phone and walked slowly back to Reid's room. He touched the doctor gently on the arm.

"Is there somewhere we can talk. I need to go over some things with you about Reid."

…….

Garcia had written the little program she needed and settled down with Morgan to put it into action. Morgan's phone rang.

"Gideon, I am with Garcia now. We are being very careful." A long pause. "I see. OK. Well hopefully Garcia has put a stop to that."

He turned to Pen who was sitting looking worried. "Go careful Pen. This stuff has done something bad to Reid."

"Ok…well this is the start of it, the origami instructions, but it's more than that. There are orders as such to make them, but with specific things. Someone was sending Reid paper through the mail. It's telling him to use it, and only it, and to erm inhale it."

Morgan was back on the phone to Gideon.

"Yes paper delivered to his home." He was saying. "I am thinking it was impregnated with something."

….

Gideon unlocked Reid's small apartment using the key he kept under a flowerpot. The pot was empty. Gideon turned off Reid's alarm. He had been here often enough to know the code. He turned on the lights and looked around. At first he couldn't understand exactly what it was he was looking at. The floor of Reid's lounge was covered in thousands of small paper animals. Different types, different colours. They were everywhere. On the desk where Reid would have had his laptop plugged in was a huge pile of print outs. They looked like codes of some kind and so Gideon figured they were printouts of the emails he had been getting. Jason walked over and pushed open Reid's bathroom door. In here the floor was covered in soggy printouts. It looked like Reid was looking at them when he was in the tub. They were pinned to his kitchen notice board, and scattered around the floor next to Reid's big leather armchair. The phone suddenly ringing made Gideon jump. He waited for the answer phone to come on.

"This is Dr Reid. Sorry I am unable to take your call. Please call back later or leave a message." Then the beep

"I know you are there Jason Gideon. You can't hide. You can't keep him. He is mine." Said a child's voice.

…..

A man was standing in the hospital car park. He was wearing glasses, a hat, a long dust coat, and black boot. He was alone, and watching the doors to the main entrance. Slowly he started to walk forwards muttering under his breath. "I warned you. I told you to protect her. Now look what has happened."

….

Reid was finally sleeping quietly. His breathing was normal, his heart rate was normal. The doctor had insisted on keeping Reid restrained though. Hotch had talked to the doctor about brainwashing and mind controlling substances and all he could think of that may have happened to Reid over the course of what felt like a very short time. The emails though were going back months, and until that was finally unravelled they weren't sure what was really going on.

Hotch went to get a coffee and something quick to eat while Reid slept. This time it was not drug induced. This time Hotch hoped he would awaken properly and not still within his nightmare.

The man waited until he was sure Hotch had gone, then slipped silently into Reid's room. He gently undid the restraints and put a hand on Reid's chest and shook him gently. Reid's eyes shot open and he stared at the man leaning over him.

"You failed."

**A/N Thank you everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story. You are all wonderful. I know I posted a vid, but being me I had to do it again and do it better…so please if you want go see: YouTube: Scarecrow2 Reid's Nightmare.**

**Link is also on my bio**

**sleep well**


	13. Chapter 13 The Missing

The Missing

_Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine. _

**A/N I got a bit lost on this chapter. It's not very Criminal Mindish. Forgive my indulgence into the world of nasty. I will get it back in order. :c) Thanks to everyone who is still reading and reviewing!**

Hotch was walking back down the passage way towards Reid's room when he heard the commotion. People running around outside what appeared to be Reid's room. He ran.

"What's going on?"

And the doctor turned to him.

"Where is he agent Hotchner?" and he was gesticulating towards Reid's room.

"What do you mean? Why isn't he in his room?"

"Agent Hotchner, did Dr Reid leave with you?"

"He was sleeping. Of course he didn't leave with me! You are telling me you have lost him? He was restrained. He can't have just got up and left."

"We are aware of that." The doctor said as Hotch pushed his way past the throng of people into Reid's room.

"Where is your security? I need to see surveillance cameras. **NOW**!"

…..

When Reid woke up all he could smell at first was smoke. He seemed to be shackled around his neck and ankles, but his hands were tied behind his back with what felt like rope. He squinted into the dark and could see the smoke was coming from a fire burning further down what looked to be a tunnel of earth. His throat was dry and his eyes sore. He was laying on his side on an earthen floor. The length of chain between his neck and feet meant he couldn't stretch out, so he lay sort of foetal. He needed to wrap his arms around him self. To protect himself, but the rope bindings were too tight so he kept still and listened and looked into the fire. He could hear murmurings and mutterings of people talking but it wasn't possible to work out what they were saying. Reid looked to see what he was wearing because last he remembered……..What was the last he remembered? He had on sweatpants and a very tight fitting t-shirt. He realised how much his back and shoulder hurt, and something brushed his face. Something warm and damp moved over his cheek down towards his ear. Then a warm whispering in his ear.

"You were meant to die protecting me." It was the voice of the princess, and foggy memories came back to him. Confused memories of being both afraid and content.

"I I tried to." And it hurt for him to talk.

"No you didn't! You did what they always do. You let them take you away from me, but Spence, you are mine you know. Floyd said I can keep you."

"K k keep me?"

"Drink this." And she placed a straw in Reid's mouth. Was it drugged? He had no idea of knowing, and right now he really couldn't care less. He just needed moisture in his mouth. He sucked hungrily at the straw and was rewarded by ice cold spring water. "Not too much sweetness, you will make yourself sick." And she took it away from him.

"Princess, where are we? Can you undo my hands?"

"Questions, questions! You are here and no I can't. You have a habit of not staying where you are put, so right now we have decided to keep you here."

"We?"

"Too many questions. Has Jason not said to you before to not ask so many questions, just enjoy the moment?"

And with a giggle she was moving away back down the tunnel.

….

Garcia was given the video surveillance tape and she set to work running through them trying to work out how Reid had left, and with whom. He wasn't alone that much was obvious as he was virtually carried from his room by a slightly shorter man with longish hair and glasses. Reid didn't seem to be protesting at all, and in fact seemed to be just as eager to leave un-noticed as the stranger. She traced them leave by a back stairwell, and then watched as the unsub took clothes from laundry bag and helped Reid into them. A stupidly too small for him child's T-shirt and grey sweatpants. Garcia could see the dressings on Reid's back showing through the clothing even on the grainy film. The man then guided Reid out of a side door and across the ally way, where they disappeared into the park.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked herself and called Morgan and Prentiss over and showed them the trail she had found.

"This just doesn't make any sense." And Morgan just flopped into the chair next to Garcia. "We go to all that trouble to rescue him, and he just goes off again?"

"Derek, it's not his fault. All this stuff he's been reading, and we don't know what went on before we got him back apart from some creepy kid trying to eat him and skin being torn off his back."

"And the narcotics he's been taking." Emily chimed in. "The paper animals were impregnated with drugs. He must have had the stuff all over his hands. It must have been in his food. On his skin and we still have no idea exactly what it was. As far as CSU can work out it is some kind of natural poison. Mind altering spores but nothing which is available in US."

…..

The collar Reid was wearing had been secured to a post in the ground. It was now being pulled along by the man with the hat and glasses away from the fire light and into the dark tunnel. Reid decided to resist, but not being able to stand up properly because of the chains, and having his hands tied behind his back still made it hard for him. All he could think of to do was just sit down. So he did.

"Move your self." The man hissed.

"Where are you taking me?" He was ignored.

"Get up or I will drag you." And he yanked on the chain leading to Reid's neck.

Reid made an Umphing sound as he fell forwards onto his face but he just stayed where he was. This guy _would_ have to drag him.

"I told you to get up." And the cowboy boots made contact with Reid's stomach. "**UP**!" He shouted at him, and a warm mouth was on Reid's ear again, and through the fog of pain and fear Reid could smell the rotting fetid breath of the princess.

"Please Spence do as he asks. Though I love it when you cry we haven't got time right now." And she ran her tongue along Reid's jawline.

Something seemed to make sense to Reid and as the man stood back he remembered how he should protect and love the child. He smiled up at her and she helped him into a half stand as the man started to lead Reid down the tunnel again.

In Reid's peripheral vision he could see things moving in the shadows along side passages they passed but he tried not to look. He tried to focus totally on the princess and the man.

The tunnel eventually opened up into a huge underground cavern. It would have been beautiful if it hadn't been for the way it had been decorated. Scarecrows stood along the walls. They seemed to be moving and swaying in the light of the thousands of candles that must have been burning. The air was thick with the smell of tallow and burning fat. In the middle of the room was what looked to be an alter and it was towards this the man directed Reid.

Alarm bells rang somewhere in the back of his mind, but the princess ran her fingers down Reid's spine and cut the rope binding his hands. The feeling of blood suddenly flowing back into his cramped hands hurt but he managed not to cry out in pain and distracted his thoughts back to now.

"Here." she said to him and gently took his hands in hers and massaged life back into them.

Then the man was unlocking the chains and pulling Reid upright for the first time in what felt like hours. Had it been hours? Reid had no idea. Time didn't seem to flow at a normal pace when the princess was around.

"What – what is this place?" Reid asked through cracked lips. The place looked like a Halloween grotto. He could feel the princess moving around behind him, and her small sharp hands ran down his back and rested on his hips. Was she licking his back? He had a vague feeling that she was but it was so numb with the damage already done to it that it was hard to tell. She pushed him gently forwards. He was forced to climb up onto the stone alter and gently pushed down onto his back. He drank some more of the cold water, and the fog which had been lifting slowly seeped its way back into Reid's brain.

"Now sleep." She said whispering into his ear and climbed up next to him and sat watching.

It took about twenty minutes before Reid's eyes finally closed, his body giving into the pain and drugs. At some point he had rolled over onto his side. The princess snuggled in with him and Reid wrapped his arms protectively around her.

……

Garcia was beside herself with aguish.

"No…he can't be gone again! They can't have taken him. Not now. He was safe!" And she sat and looked at what the computer had been spitting out at her.

_**You will die saving her. You will not leave her. You will remain loyal to her. You belong to her. You hate yourself. You are nothing. You deserve this. You are pitiful. Protect. Love. Desire. Need.**_

Over and over again.

"We will find him again Pen." And Morgan put a hand on her shaking shoulder. "They can't have gotten far. Then the experts will have to undo all of the crap." And he flicked some of the paper Garcia had been looking over.

……

And somewhere underground Reid whimpered as his princess nibbled on him.

**A/N end? Should there be more?**


	14. Chapter 14 Search and Destroy

Search and Destroy

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine.

Every man available searched the park. There was just nothing to be found though. People questioned, and nobody saw anyone. Then finally a guy came forward. He approached Gideon.

"Can I talk to you? You know with no fear of you arresting me? Like you know I think I might have seen something, but I erm…you know wont be getting arrested?"

Gideon nodded and took the man by the arm and led him away from the crowds but not out of sight of Hotchner, who had seen the exchange and was watching closely.

"It's alright. Just tell me what you saw." Gideon's voice was calm and gentle, his mind was screaming.

"Well here's the thing, 'cos I'm not sure what I saw cos it really doesn't make sense."

Gideon gave him a nod. "Shall we go get a coffee? Talk somewhere else?"

The guy gave a quick nervous nod back.

They left the park with Hotch following him, and Morgan following Hotch, and then Prentiss keeping an eye on where Morgan was.

Gideon took the guy to a small café just down the road. It probably did well from custom from the hospital, but right now it was almost empty. Gideon opened the door and the guy entered. Jason waved over to the waitress. "Coffee for me. What will you be wanting?" and he looked at the nervous bloke he had with him. "Sit. Get him a coffee."

The guy introduced himself as Ross.

"I am in the park a lot. Erm you know. Walking and stuff." Gideon just watched this young twitchy man. "You get to see sights, you know? Some very odd ones but tonight it was different."

The coffee arrived. Ross was different from the norm. For a start he had very long dark hair. Sit on length, in huge plait down his back. He was wearing low slung leather trousers with combat boots and a cropped T-shirt with a chunky leather jacket. He had the same sort of pale face Reid has with the dark circles under his eyes. He looked sick. He looked like a crack addict rent boy. Gideon could well imagine some of the things this young man had seen. He looked to be about 20, maybe younger. It was hard to tell with that look of death over his face.

"Ross, take your time. What happened?"

He scratched his neck and writhed around on the chair looking nervous. "I don't usually talk to cops. Voluntarily. But this was very odd."

Gideon nodded, and added some sugar to the coffee.

"I was standing waiting. You know I have a erm client I see, erm regularly, and everything just went really dark. The street lights all went out. And everything went quiet, like I had gone deaf or something. Only I hadn't cos I could hear my heart thumping. And these two guys walk across the park. One is leaning on the other, and they are shouting at each other, and something seems to be bothering him, but I am too scared to go and see what it is because I can see them shouting but can't hear anything."

"Did you see where they went?"

Ross nodded. "They went into the gardener's house thing. It's not a house, just a huge shed. Lots of erm…well I use it sometimes. You know?"

Gideon was still listening.

"Then suddenly I could hear again."

Gideon sat looking at the young man for a while and took something out of his wallet. "I want to thank you. I can't give you money, son. You know why." He moved his business card across to him "But if you ever need anything don't hesitate to call me." And Gideon stood up and walked alone back to the park with a little train of agents behind him.

"The gardeners shed….rip it apart!" And suddenly Gideon's quick walking turned into a run. "Get the CSU down here. I want to know if there is anything out of the ordinary here. Smells, sounds. Anything. Dogs!" and Gideon was shouting as Morgan kicked open the shed door and flew in shouting "**FBI**!"

….

And Reid shuddered in his sleep and held on tighter to his princess.

….

The smell of decomp hit them all immediately and hands jumped to noses to cover the stench coming from the small building. It had two rooms. One a small kitchen, the other a workshop and lounge area. The smell however was coming from what looked to be a trap door in the middle of the floor.

Carefully they moved forwards pointing guns around and down at the floor. Hotch crouched and pulled at the rope handle and the door swung open easily to reveal stairs going down into a stinking darkness. Morgan was about to shine his torch down there, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Derek." It was Gideon, "We don't know what is down there. Be prepared."

Morgan knew what Gideon was telling him. Be prepared for there to be a dead Reid down there. Slowly he tuned his torch to shine down the pit in the floor. It lit up a face staring back at him. Not Reid's, and very decomposed and obviously where the smell was coming from. It was hard to see what else was there. Gideon noted to look on Morgan's face and stood forwards to take in the situation. "We need to get that body up here. Call in the CSU guys from outside will you Prentiss?" She happily left the smell of the building to go and find the man in charge of collecting body parts from crime scenes.

Carefully the Morgan, Hotch and Gideon climbed down the stairs to the area below. It was old. A very old earthworks. Ancient. They were standing in a small round chamber with a tunnel going off in either direction. "This is not a good idea." Morgan stated. "We can't profile a dirt tunnel. We need to get experts down here. I'll get lost. Hell we don't even know if Reid came down here!"

But Gideon turned on his torch, held up his gun ready, and started walking. Hotch took a small penknife from his pocket and scraped an arrow in the earth wall. The three of them began their journey.

….

Reid stirred and pulled his princess in closer, kissing her gently on the top of her head and muttering in his sleep "Protect." And she snuffled her nose into his skin and gently licked the sweat off his neck.

The man with the glasses stood back and watched for a while, then picked up the chains and rope and left the chamber with the two slumbering amongst the candles.

In his dream Reid was happy.

He was at home with his mother and father and things were good.

In his dream he was an ordinary boy and his mum an ordinary mum with a boring job and his dad was a bible salesman.

In his dream he had lots of friends and he could ride a bike and couldn't do magic tricks.

In his dream he didn't need tricks to stop the bullying.

In his dream he was loved and cared for and his princess was his. Yes Reid was very happy not being a genius freak of nature.

Then the dream changed and his dad was gone, and his mother's mind was gone, and he had no friends except Jeff who hardly ever wanted to play, and he knew things a boy his age shouldn't know, and he cried silent tears down his grubby face and his princess wiped them gently away and made loving gentle sounds in his ear.

"It's ok Spence. Shhhssshh."

….

Gideon, Hotch and Morgan ran down the passage way. Occasionally they would see something move in the distance, but they never managed to actually catch up with it. They were losing track of how long they had been down there for, and distance travelled was impossible to estimate. The tunnel curved one way then another. It branched off in Y shapes, and had T junctions. Hotch marked the walls all along at each point of the underground maze. Something inside them told them they were going in the right direction.

The end was sudden.

One second they were running down a tunnel. The next they tumbled out into a candle lit cavern. They stood and shone their torches around the room. It was creepy beyond belief. Alcoves along the walls had heads posed in them. There were chains hanging from the walls holding parts of rotting corpses, and of course the scarecrows. Hundreds of them swaying in the candle light and smoke. The room was misty and eerie, and sound was being carried from somewhere a long way off. A low murmur of chanting.

In the middle of the room they could see and alter, and laying on it a still sleeping form they all recognised, and wrapped around him something they remembered from not long ago.

And that something was looking at them with hate filled eyes, and licking the side of Spencer's face.


	15. Chapter 15 Saving  Spencer

Saving Spencer

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds doesn't belong to me.

**A/N shorter chapter today cos I posted twice yesterday.**

They stood for a while taking in the odd situation with their guns raised and pointing at the girl.

"Step away from Reid." Hotchner finally called out.

The sudden movement from the child woke Reid from his sleep who rolled over and gave eye contact with Gideon. For a fleeting second there seemed to be a look of relief on Reid's face but it was quickly replaced by pure terror. He jumped down from his platform and pulled his princess behind him. She held tightly onto the back of his sweatpants.

"Why can't you just leave us alone?" He hissed across to them.

Morgan was trying to get in position behind Reid, and Hotch was keeping his gun up and aimed at Reid. "He won't shoot you Spence." She growled from behind him.

Someone stepped from the shadows behind Hotch, and this is where Gideon's gun swung to and aimed at. The man stood with his hands in his coat pockets and he raised an eyebrow and smiled at Gideon.

"You came back for him. I thought you would have let him go now. He is quite insane. But you already know that don't you."

Reid was backing away from the direction of Hotch trying to keep himself between danger and his princess.

"I really am surprised. You are not family. You are not friends. I underestimated your desire to keep him."

Gideon kept the man in his line of site and kept the gun pointed in his direction. "We are his family. We are his friends." Gideon said calmly. "Of course we want him back. We want to help him. We need to know he is safe." Gideon started to play. He had done this sort of thing so many times in hostage situations. This was different, but the same rules applied. "Can you let us just check on his wounds. He has been hurt. You know we need to check on him. You took him from the hospital. He has to go back."

"You, his friends, YOU had him restrained. You tied him to his bed and left him. You ask him. Does he want to be here with his princess or with you tied to a hospital bed? Does he want to be free or living in Bennington?"

Gideon had no idea how this man knew so much, but knowing Reid had been corresponding with this man for so long, he had, had plenty of opportunities to find out either by direct questioning or by hacking Reid's computer.

The man stepped forwards towards Gideon's gun. "I am unarmed." And he took his hands slowly out of his pockets and showed Gideon empty hands.

Reid had manoeuvred his way slowly away from his old friends and suddenly turned and ran, his princess running in front of him, down a small dark passage.

"Reid!" Morgan shouted, and ran after him. "Reid! Stop!" but Reid was running with a speed Morgan had never seen Reid use before. He re-holstered his gun and ran after him.

The punch to Gideon's face came so suddenly and so hard that he was still wondering what hit him as it started to go dark and he fell to the ground.

Hotch had been swinging his gun between the direction Reid had run and the guy in the coat, it now settled on the man with the glasses and the coat.

"Now what Hotch? Kill me, and Spencer will never come back to you. Kill me and you have lost him forever."

And he indicated the way Reid had run, and it was just that small distraction which put Hotch on his back in the dirt. The punch to his face hadn't had the same impact the one to Gideon had had, and Hotch was still very much awake. He rolled over and looked around for the gun he had been holding. He could see it glinting in the candle light out of reach, but that was ok, he carried more than one gun. And something swiped him across the back of the head. He leapt up and span on his attacker who was about to hit Hotch around the head again with a bit of rotting leg. And so the punch up continued.

…..

Hotch stood over the prone man on the floor and slowly took his spare gun out. "Now turn over on your front and put your hands behind your back."

The man complied with a sneer on his face.

"This wont get him back and you cant keep me." Hotch put cuffs on him.

….

Morgan was catching up with Reid and he judged his distance well as he flew into tackle and grab Reid by the legs. They both went down, and the princess spun and screamed. Reid kicked and punched out at Morgan managing to kick him square in the face knocking Morgan back away from them

"RUN!" Reid shouted to his princess.

Reid then pounced on Morgan remembering all the hand to hand he had been shown and lots of stuff he had learned as a boy at school.

He started with a head-but to Morgan's nose and Morgan let out yelp of surprise and grabbed Reid's hair pulling back his head and bringing his knee up into Reid's solar plexus where he let out a umph and fell back away from the bigger stronger man. Morgan rolled over again and got to his feet. Reid did the same.

"Don't make me do this Reid." Morgan was ready for another attack from him, and he slowly pulled his gun from its holster.

"You won't." He sounded more sure than he felt.

And the gun came up and levelled at Reid's face. "Try me." Reid started to back away. "No Reid. On your face in the dirt, or I fire this."

Then the voice in his ear. "I thought you would die for me sweetness?"

And with a scream Reid ran for Morgan

The sound of the gun firing echoed down the dark ancient tunnels.


	16. Chapter 16 Hope

Hope

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is awesome, but not mine.

The impact of the bullet knocked Reid on to his back.

The princess screamed a bloody curdling cry and threw herself on Reid.

Morgan just stood with the gun in his hand not quite understanding what he had just done.

Gideon moaned and started to come round from the thump on the face.

Hotch stood and looked in the direction of the screaming.

"Wonderful. Your goon killed Spence. Now she is going to be pissed with you."

The reply was a kick to the head from Hotch who by now was tired of trying to do this by the book because what was happening followed no rules of logic.

Gideon was getting to his feet, and they glanced over at each other then started to run in the direction of Morgan's shouting.

……

"Get off him!" Morgan was shouting and kicking at the child who was laying across Reid. Morgan was still not one hundred percent sure where he had hit him. It was dark and the target had been moving. He just hoped it hit what he was aiming at. The child screamed back at Morgan and flew in one leap onto Morgan's chest, burying her teeth into his face. Morgan screamed and tried to pull her off, but it would have meant ripping some of his face off with her. All Morgan could hear was the blood rushing in his ears and the terrible noises Reid was making on the tunnel floor.

Gideon was the first to reach them. Hotch was only feet behind. He went to Reid, and Hotch attempted to prise the girl off Morgan.

Reid was bleeding. Morgan had caught him in the shoulder but that wasn't what alarmed Gideon so much. He knew Morgan wouldn't have done this unless totally necessary.

Reid was having some kind of seizure. Gideon knew well enough not to try to restrain him right now and just made sure Reid wasn't in danger of hitting his head on something.

He hardly heard the sucking popping sound as the princess let got of Morgan, or felt the rush of air as she ran past him on her way back the way they had just come. He didn't hear Morgan's shouts of pain, or Hotch's calls for help.

"It's OK Reid. Its going to be alright."

And as Reid came out of whatever had hold of his mind he stared at Gideon and cried….

"Princess!!"

But she didn't come back for him.

…..

The man with the hair and the glasses and the handcuffs lay moaning on the floor pulling at his restraints. Princess bent down and gave him a friendly kiss on the nose.

"Get me out of these." He demanded.

"Sure Floyd." And she grinned that big grin at him. Her teeth were covered in blood. "Floyd?"

"What?"

"I think we bit of more than we could chew." And she started to giggle as she used her over long over sharp claws to pick the lock on the cuffs. "I might have to give up on Spence. He would have been so good too, but his friends!"

"I know I know. Our research was out there. We didn't realise the attachment he has to that damned team."

"Let's go." And she waggled the cuffs at the man and they grinned and ran towards the scarecrows, pushing one aside and running down the opening behind it.

….

It was nearly half an hour before the medics arrived and they didn't look very happy about where they were.

Morgan's face was checked but it was just puncture marks and no flesh was missing.

Gideon was checked for concussion, but seemed fine.

Hotch was virtually hyperventilating when he realised the man had gotten out of the cuffs, and needed air.

Reid.

The shot was a through and through. It hadn't hit anything except soft flesh. Morgan had hit exactly what he was aiming at.

Reid had to be put on a board in restraints. He was given something to calm him down, but he was raging and fighting everyone and everything and calling for his princess. The journey back into daylight seemed to take forever. They passed teams of people walking towards them there to see what this place was and look for more victims and collect evidence.

"Reid I am so sorry." Morgan said as he walked next to his restrained partner and friend. Reid spat at him in return. Morgan accepted it. There seemed little point in trying to reason with him. Not yet anyway.

…..

The smell of hospital was beginning to become horribly familiar.

This was different though. Reid wasn't restrained to a bed. He had no bed. He was alone for now. Alone straight-jacketed in room alone. He was laying on the floor screaming. Deep dark from the depths of his soul screams. "Princess." Over and over.

The dark circles around his eyes had taken on a look of death. His hair was wet with sweat and oily with dirt.

At least now it was known that some sort of brain washing had taken place. They had some of the messages he had been sent. They had the tox reports back. They would be able to help him this time. They would be able to slowly undo the damage.

This time there was hope.

This time there were guards at the door, and the door was locked, and Reid would not be walking off with out them knowing.

…..

Where was she? He had made a promise to protect and love her, but she was gone. He tired so hard not to let them spoil it again. Why did they interfere like that? Where was she? He called for her. He begged her to come and find him. He was lost. The lights were out there was no one here. Where was she? He needed to feel her close to him and to feel the warmth. He needed to feel loved and needed. He needed his princess. Why were they keeping her from him? His shoulder hurt. Someone had shot him. He couldn't remember who now. His back hurt. Someone had flayed his back. He couldn't remember who now. He remembered his princess biting him on the shoulder though, but she had been angry and he had deserved it. Where was she? Why wasn't she coming for him? Why? He would accept any punishment. He had failed again. Was she dead? Had they killed her?

Reid stopped struggling and lay very still. He knew he had been restrained again. He had vague memories of clawing at someone with his fingers. It felt like an eternity later that he sensed someone near him. Slowly he opened his eyes to see who it was. He thought he should know this person but couldn't find the place in his brain where those memories were stored. He felt confused. He felt lost. He needed her.

"It's me, Gideon."

The name brought back memories of warmth and the smells of cooking and open fires in the fall, and security and love.

"Gideon? Where am I?"

"Safe."

"Where - where is she? Can you b b bring her to me?"

"Who Reid?"

And tears found their way out his eyes and trickled down the side of his face.

Gideon sat on the floor next to Reid, who was laying on his side foetal and wiped away the tears.

"I just need to know she is is is safe." And the tears turned to sobs. "I just need someone to hold me, and, and, and love me. Please, if you are a friend Gideon, tell me where she is?"

Jason knew he shouldn't play into this nightmare Reid was still living, but he loved him, and so he gently wiped the hair off his face. "I don't know where she is. She ran off. We have been looking for her Reid. I promise you we haven't hurt her."

"You are all liars. I saw him kick her. She is a child. He was kicking her in the face. I saw." Reid sat up and struggled in the jacket. "Can you take this thing off me? Why do you keep restraining me?"

"Because you keep trying to hurt yourself."

"Please Gideon." And the eyes looked so hurt and lost that Gideon did as Reid asked and undid the straps on the jacket. Reid just pulled the contraption off himself and sat with his knees bent and his chin resting on his knees. His arms wrapped around his legs "Thank you."

And Gideon scuttled forwards and put his arms around the man he thought of as a son and pulled him in close.

"It's all going to be ok Spencer."

And Reid held Gideon and rested his head on his chest and cried feeling the warmth and security he had been missing for so long.

….


	17. Chapter 17 The Recovery

The Recovery

Disclaimer: CM isn't mine.

Reid had a room to himself. He wasn't required to share, unlike some of the people in this place. Whatever this place was. It was a simple room. Windows sealed shut. A bed, a bedside table (bolted to the floor) Light fitting you couldn't hang your self off.

White walls.

A notice board.

A door which locked at night, and a camera watching everything.

Standard. He was lucky. He didn't have to share so at night he was alone. Never in the dark though. Not that. They kept a light on. Faint but enough to keep the demons in the corners of the room where he didn't have to go.

He wouldn't talk to anyone. After the initial engagement with Gideon he stopped talking. Jason seemed to be the only person Reid would even look at. Even then he wouldn't make eye contact with anyone.

It was time to go sit in the room with all the others talking about why they were there. This was something Reid found very uncomfortable about. He didn't want to hear what they had to say. Reid just wanted to be alone.

He entered the room and took a seat in the circle of grey plastic chairs. People around him moaned and twitched and muttered.

He sat on the chair with his legs folded crossed. It looked impossible for someone as tall as Reid to sit like this, but he seemed to just fold in on himself. He sat with his arms wrapped around himself and looked at his lap. He had no intention of talking today. Like he had no intention of talking all the other times they had tried.

And so the session began. Reid cut off the sounds around him by making sounds in his head to drown it all out. Mental white noise.

"Spencer?" someone said his name. He slowly looked up "You have been with us a while now. Do you want to share?"

He slowly shook his head.

"We would all like to know what you are thinking Spencer."

"Where is she?" he whispered with a dry croaky voice. "Why are you keeping her from me?"

"Who do you mean, Spencer?"

Reid was suddenly on his feet and shouting "**You KNOW who I mean. You ALL know. Why are you keeping her from me**?"

"Sit down and talk calmly Spencer. We don't know who you mean. You need to explain it to us."

"Always telling me what to do. When to eat, when to sleep. Leave me alone. Let her see me." He spat back and left the room slamming the door behind him.

"Well at least we know he can talk now." Said a tiny bald man.

….

Reid made his way quickly to the lounge. There were plastic chairs facing a television set high up on the wall out of reach with a fine metal grid over it. The room was empty because everyone was meant to be in therapy right now. He made his way over to a window and put his hands out and touched the glass with his palms "Where are you?" he whispered.

He was still standing there four hours later when Gideon arrived. He walked slowly over to Reid so as not to alarm him and stood by his side.

"Hi" was all he said.

Reid turned his head and looked at him and bit on his bottom lip.

"What have you been looking at?" Gideon asked almost in a whisper.

"I saw you arrive."

Gideon nodded. He could see the car park from the window. Gideon wondered briefly what would happen to Reid if he wasn't around anymore. Then shook the feeling of dread from him self.

"Gideon, have I lost my mind? Would I know if I had? Would I even be thinking this if I had."

Gideon took Reid by the shoulders and turned him to face him…he then took Reid's hands in his. "Listen to me Spencer. You are not your mother. What happened to you has nothing to do with what happened to her. You can get better. You will get better. But Spencer you have to talk to people so we or they can undo what has been done."

Reid looked down at the linked hands. "I don't understand. Where is she? Why hasn't she come to get me?"

"I don't know the answer to that. I feel she won't be coming back though. She left with her friend. We don't know where to."

Reid seemed to tip forward and lean on Gideon's shoulder. "I don't know what to d d do. I am so - I am so confused. I am getting all sorts of mixed memories. I don't know- I don't know what - what is real."

"Your memories are returning Reid. This is good."

"No. No it's not. It's not good. Why am I in this place? Why do I feel the need to see her?"

….

Reid's day was very routine. It rarely changed.

Up when the door was unlocked. He was always awake by then, but he had no idea for how long. No clock. No watch.

Wash in the bathroom down the hall.

Line up for meds. Which Reid palmed, so checking his mouth was pointless. He would hide them later.

Breakfast.

Sit and do nothing or watch television. No books permitted. Even if you protest.

Therapy session.

Lunch. Accompanied by more meds, which he didn't take.

Sometimes he would have to talk to someone in the afternoon. Long sessions of looking at pictures of things. Attempting to undo the knot his mind was tied in.

Afternoon tea break.

Dinner with meds.

Bed

And it repeats.

Sometimes a visit from a doctor or Gideon.

Reid didn't feel like he was getting better. He still felt confused. He still couldn't tell what was real and what was a dream. He still didn't know why he was here or where his princess was. He still refused to make eye contact with anyone. He still refused to talk to anyone but Gideon, unless it was to shout a protest about something unrelated to what his mind was doing.

Today started like all the others. A slow walk to the bathroom for a wash. Wash. No tubs unless you are supervised. So it was a wash. He didn't like people looking at the healing scars on his back, or the bullet hole still visible on his shoulder, or all of the bites marks. They were his and he wasn't ready to share that part of himself yet.

"Dr Reid." Someone was calling him. He chose to ignore it, but they called out to him again, so he turned and slowly plodded in the direction the voice came from, making sure his eyes stayed firmly on the ground.

"Urine test please." And a cup was held out to him. "Pot plant in the day room mean anything to you Dr Reid?"

OK…they had found where he was stashing his meds. It hadn't been the best place to hide them, he got caught, but he wasn't going to provide them with a urine test, so he just walked away without taking the offering.

"Dr Reid, please take this. We need a morning sample."

Reid told them where to stick the cup and carried on walking.

He refused his breakfast. He took his medications then spat them across the room. "I wont take them." He muttered to himself more than anything the got up and went back to his room.

Reid was still sitting there in his pyjamas and robe when the doctors entered his room. He had been counting in his head how many books he had on his shelves back in his apartment. It helped him to think of home, but he missed the smells of those old books. He looked up at them slightly alarmed.

"Dr Reid. We are going to take blood, so just relax it won't take a minute and it won't hurt."

Why they thought he would happily give up blood and not urine was a puzzle to Reid, but they would have to take it. He was not going to give it. Judging by how many big strong orderlies were standing there he figured they realised that already.

…..

When Gideon arrived that afternoon Reid was still crouched in the corner of his room rocking and crying. The staff had called him and asked him to come in. They explained what had happened. How Reid had fought and kicked and screamed. How it didn't seem he was being stubborn or awkward, but how he seemed terrified. Jason sat on the floor next to Spencer and put an arm around his shoulder.

"So you had a bad start today?" he asked gently.

Reid rested his head on his mentors shoulder. "Please Gideon, tell me."

"What do you need to know?" and he stroked the back of Reid's head.

"Will I ever leave this place?" and Gideon held Reid closer.

"They are meant to be helping you. You need to co-operate with them. You need to take your meds."

"The meds make my head feel wrong. I can't think with them."

Jason put his hand under Reid's chin and lifted his face so they were looking at each other. "Listen to me Spencer. I can take you back with me for the night. Just one night, but you will take your meds, or it just won't happen."

"But!"

"No buts Reid. It's simple. You take them, you leave with me. You refuse them, you stay here." and Gideon picked up a small white cup with half a dozen different coloured pills. "I wouldn't let them hurt you and you know that. Now trust me. Take them and we can leave as soon as you are dressed."

Reid took the cup from Gideon.

"If things go well we might even wangle a weekend at the cabin. Sound good?"

……


	18. Chapter 18 Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever

**A/N Thank you for nagging me….you are too kind. :c) Here is the next chapter. It's short, but I stopped it in a place that felt right. I will update again soon.**

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine.

It was dark by the time they arrived at Jason's cabin. Reid had slept for most of the journey. A side effect of the drugs he had taken. He wriggled and opened his eyes as Gideon's SUV parked outside.

"We are here."

Reid just nodded, still half in the fuzzy drug induced sleep.

They walked slowly into the dark cabin. Jason made sure he turned the lights on first, the guided Reid into the warmth. Reid stood and looked around.

"Sit, make yourself at home. I am going to cook us up a feast." And Gideon patted Reid on the back and went to the kitchen area.

"Gideon?" he turned back to see Spencer still standing there. "I erm – I miss her."

Gideon indicated a stool next to the workbench. "Sit there and talk to me." And Gideon smiled at his very nervous friend who just stood with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. He moved slowly. Reid felt like he was under water. Nothing felt quite real or in focus.

"I think I am going to be sick." And Jason was at his side gently manoeuvring him to the bathroom.

"I will cook. You have a bath. Keep the door open so if you want to talk I can hear you, OK?" Though that was not the real reason Jason needed the door left open. He was very concerned about his friend's state of mind.

Reid stood looking at the water pouring into the bath. Why did he feel so confused about everything? It must be the medication he had been given. All the time he was with the child he knew exactly what was going on. Therefore it was now that was the problem. Not then. He quickly turned off the water and walked back into the kitchen dining area. Jason was stirring something in a big pan.

"I won't do it. I I am s s sorry Gideon." And Reid was out of the door at a mad run before Gideon could turn around. Reid ran. He ran out into the woods in the dark, and just kept on going, stumbling over roots and fallen debris. Jason followed him, running along the animal tracks. "Reid!" he shouted a couple of times but he got no answer. He wasn't expecting one. He was easy to follow though. Even in the dark Gideon could follow the crashing sounds Reid was making. It was when the sounds stopped that Jason worried.

Reid was running. He ran without thought of direction or even the dark. He could hear nothing but the blood pounding in his ears. The low branch took him across the forehead and knocked him flat on his back. He didn't move. He just laid there and looked at the tree branches and the stars twinkling

"Gideon!" The fear suddenly and unexpectedly ripped through him. He rolled over and got to his knees. "Gideon!" he shouted again. His mentor was at his side with a hand out holding Reid's shoulder.

"I'm here. Now care to tell me what the hell that was all about?" Jason actually looked cross. "What happened to the relaxing soak in the bath?"

"I w w wont – I wont do it!" Reid stuttered

"I know. You told me. Won't do what?"

"I won't be drugged." Reid was shaking. "I won't have you trick me because I can't – I can't think straight. I won't be treated like this Gideon." He was whispering.

"We are all just trying to help you get back to what you should be. Back to before this happened."

"I m m miss her!"

Gideon helped Reid up and they slowly walked back to the cabin with Gideon's arm around Reid's shoulder. "You miss her. I understand that Spencer, but running off into the woods at night won't help. I need you to talk to me. I need you to try to co-operate. Go with the system for a while. Trust us."

"I won't be drugged." He muttered in reply.

….

Jason ran the bath again and this time Reid sat in it and had a good soak. Gideon kept talking to him from the kitchen and sometimes he got a reply. He chatted about everything and nothing and when Reid re-appeared he looked more alive than Jason had seen him in a long time. His hair was clean but wet and dripping, but he was finally clean and dinner was on the table.

"Well timed. Now eat."

"Why are you doing this for me Gideon?" he pushed the lovely looking food around his plate.

"Doing what?"

"I am just someone you work with. Why do you treat me like a child?"

Gideon felt slightly hurt by this and he stopped eating and looked at Reid. "You are not just someone I work with. You know that and I don't treat you like a child unless you are behaving like one. Now eat your food."

Reid pushed it away from him. "Have you drugged my food?"

"No. I wouldn't do that. Why would I do that Reid?"

"Then swap plates with me. Just humour me on this please." Jason complied. Just so that Spencer would finally eat something.

They carried on eating in silence. After the food Jason guided Reid to the big comfy sofa.

"OK Reid, we need to make this work. I don't want you back in that place, but you must talk to me. You need to heal."

Reid looked sadly over to Jason. "I won't go back there Gideon. I will kill myself if you send me back and that was probably not the right thing to say, but I won't be drugged and kept there until I don't know who I am anymore. Until I just sit at a window. Until I am my mum." And then Reid's breathing started to come in odd hard jumps and then he was sobbing. Jason moved closer and wrapped his arms around the man he thought of as his son and cried with him.

……..

And they both slept hugging on the sofa, the fire in the hearth gradually burning down. They didn't see the face looking in at them through the window.

…….

The morning. Gideon and Reid untangled themselves from each other. They had both needed the comfort last night. Just feeling Reid breathing made Jason happy. Keep him alive. Unwrap the problems with his mind when he is ready. They ate breakfast then decided to take a walk down to the lake. No fishing. Just sitting and looking at the water. It seemed like a good idea. Reid put on his jacket and trainers.

The first Gideon realised something was not quite right was when he heard the noise Reid was making. A low guttural whimpering.

"Reid! What's wrong?" He was standing at the open door, the sun shining through the trees. It was going to be a wonderful day but Reid was swaying and whimpering, and holding something in his hand. Gideon was at his side in a flash and turned to see what had alarmed him so.

There was blood. A lot of blood all over the step of Gideon's cabin. Jason took what Reid had in his hand and quickly propelled him back into the cabin.

……

A letter.

_Spence_

_I will always be watching over you._

and a child's drawing of a scarecrow

……


	19. Chapter 19 Interrupted

Interrupted 

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine.

Reid moved back quickly, trembling as Gideon slammed the door and carefully put the letter and drawing on the counter. He rushed to a drawer and pulled out plastic bags which he used to preserve evidence on the items.

"So much blood!" Reid suddenly wailed.

"Sit down Reid. Just sit and don't move."

Reid moved to the couch and sat ridged in it. His face white. Gideon got him a drink of water. "Drink this."

Reid's eyes were huge with fright. "NO! no more. This is ending now." And he got up and moved for the door.

"Please Reid, wait. We can do this together. It must be done properly. Let me get my camera."

When Jason returned the door was open and Reid was gone.

"Damn that boy." Gideon muttered. He could see Reid's footprints in the blood dripping and pooling on the porch bits of flesh were stuck to the outside of the door and ooze was sprayed up the windows. He slammed the camera down on a side table and followed Reid. No point in preserving the evidence if someone had walked through it.

"Reid!" He called. He could hear voices in the distance, and started to jog towards them.

…..

Spencer knew she was still out there somewhere and something in his mind told him he should go and look for her, yet something felt very wrong. Almost like part of him was suddenly missing. He ran into the woods, in the same direction he had gone the day before. Had be been looking he would have seen the blood trail. The tiny drops of blood, and the occasional clumps of black hair, and bits of white flesh but he wasn't looking. All reason had left him and he just needed to go find her. The man stepped out in front of Reid and Spencer hit him at full run and fell back with the wind knocked out of him.

He could hear Gideon calling him.

He rolled over and got to his knees, then stood and looked at the man with the hat and the glasses and the long dust coat and cowboy boots. "She came looking for you."

"Where – where is she?"

"Don't worry. She won't bother you again. Things got complicated Spence."

"Where is she? I I n need to see her. I need to see my princess" Reid was looking pale and panicky.

"Oh YOUR princess?" and he gave a snort of laughter. "Last time I saw her she was hanging around the cabin." And he smiled a lovely big white smile.

Reid spun around and looked back where he had come from.

"The cabin?"

Gideon ran into view and stopped when he saw Reid and someone else standing on the track.

"Oh I am sorry. Did she make a mess? She was so angry last night I thought she might explode."

Reid turned back to the man. "Angry? I would never do anything to make her angry. I would die for her!"

Gideon took slow careful steps forward until he was level with Reid.

"You were making out with your mentor. She saw you. She watched you. You were forgetting her."

"What!? NO! I wasn't – Oh god…no. I will never forget her. I will die for her!"

The man turned his back on them and started to walk back into the tree line.

"No need Dr Spencer Reid. She died for you. You broke her heart. You abandoned her for a man."

Reid could feel Jason's hand gently touch him on the shoulder. "Get off me!" he shouted and pulled away.

"Jason, tell him!" And he started to follow him into the woods. "Jason, tell him. Oh god no. Come back!"

Reid grabbed the man's arm "Stop! Wait, we weren't making out!"

The man with the hat and the glasses and the hair turned to face Spencer again. Gideon was standing just behind him. "We both saw and you broke her heart. She was my child, and you destroyed her. Now I need to make another and do you know how long that takes?" The fury in the man's eyes was almost blinding. Reid quickly let go of the man's arm. "Well do you have any comprehension at all of what I am talking about? I thought you were a genius. We picked you carefully. We primed you. We groomed you and you spat it back at her. Like she was NOTHING."

At this point for Reid everything went black.

At this point for Gideon he saw Reid sway and fall.

At this point the man with the hat and glasses spat at Reid then turned and disappeared between the trees.

Gideon quickly checked Reid for a pulse and made sure his breathing was good, he then picked him up in a fireman's lift and slowly walked back to the cabin.

He had lost weight. Gideon had noticed how his clothes were hanging off him again. This was yet another thing he would have to talk to him about.

He took Reid straight in and laid him down on the sofa, and dragged the throw over him. He stoked the fire and threw on some herbs to take away the smells which were seeping under the door, and then added the letter and envelope Reid had received, he then went to get a hose and buckets and bleach.

….

Reid awoke to the smells of the cabin again. The fire was burning in the hearth but there was another smell. The smell of death and bleach. He sat up slowly, his head pounding his stomach twisting in knots. Someone had put a blanket over him, so he pushed it back and started to stand up. He felt light-headed and dizzy, so he quickly sat down again. "Gideon!" He called, and his friend and mentor was there at his side. Gideon had been cleaning.

Reid's face was pale and his eyes looked sore. His hair had lost its shine and hung in oily swags over his face. The darkness around his eyes had deepened.

"Just stay here Reid. I am sorting everything."

And tears fell again. "I I am so – I am so sorry."

Gideon sat down next to him. "Sorry for what?"

Reid waved a hand around in front of him. "All this mess."

"It's not your fault. You are a victim here Reid. You had no control over any of this."

"I dragged you all into my nightmare." He glanced over towards the door. "Was – was that her?"

Gideon carefully patted Reid on the knee. "We don't need to talk about that now. I want to finish clearing up then we will take you home. I think you will feel more comfortable in your own bed."

"That would be nice. Thank you. Gideon? Will I have to go back to the hospital?" His eyes looked huge and scared.

"They will want to talk to you, yes but if you want I will come with you." Then he thought of what had been said in the woods "or you could ask JJ to accompany you."

Reid leaned his head on Jason's shoulder. "Thank you. That would be great. Will you stay with my when I get home? I can't stay there alone."

Gideon's arm wrapped around the shoulder of the man he thought of like a son, "Of course I will. Wouldn't have it any other way."

For the first time in a long while Reid's head felt clear.

…….

The man was so pissed off. It had taken him years to create his princess. HIS! Not Spencer's. How dare he ruin so quickly that which had taken so long to make. Such careful picking. Such careful planning, and the boy destroys her like that? He wiped angrily at the goo covering his coat, then irritably took the coat off and threw it to the forest floor. Then picked bits of something slimy out of his hair. Some of it he threw to the ground where it seemed to slither away, and some of it he sucked into his mouth and chewed on. he took off his glasses and cleaned them.

"You have not seen the last of me Spencer Reid."

He lit a cheroot and walked off into the forest mist.

…..


	20. Chapter 20 Home

Home

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

It was a long drive home. Made in total silence. Reid was awake this time but just stared out of the window occasionally running a finger down the glass of the side window. Gideon could see the shuddering Reid was making as he held back all the feelings he needed to release. He was glad this was on the way to being over, but Jason had a nasty feeling that Spencer would need a bit more tender loving care before wounds in his mind were healed.

Reid was feeling a great sense of loss. Like part of him had died. He knew this was stupid. He knew he had been weak and had been manipulated, but that didn't stop the feeling. He didn't want to cry in front of Gideon. Not again. Not now. So he held it in and sent secret messages through the glass to anyone who would listen. "help me"

The further they drove from the cabin the worse the feelings got. By the time they pulled up outside Reid's apartment a black cloud had drifted over his mind. He didn't want Gideon to know how desperate he was feeling, so he put on a false smile and looked over at his mentor.

"Thank you Gideon. I can take it from here I think."

Gideon looked across to the young agent. "Take it from here?"

"Er – yes. I need time alone. Thanks for the lift." And Reid's hand went for the door. Jason slammed the locks on. "What – what are you doing? Let me out."

"Reid, you have two choices, I stay with you, or I take you back to the hospital and leave you to yourself. Which one?"

"But." Reid rubbed at his eyes with his fingertips. "I need to be alone."

"Fine." And Jason turned the ignition back on and started to back out of the parking space.

"What! What are you doing? Gideon!" And Reid tried the door again. "OK OK stay with me!"

So Gideon pulled back in again, but a feeling of dread was beginning to fill him. This wasn't going to be as easy as he had hoped, but why would it be? Reid's brain didn't work like anyone else's he knew. How could they possibly predict what damage had been done in these past few months?

…..

Garcia had been in the apartment and dusted and cleaned and tidied and filled the cupboards with food and chocolate.

JJ had been there and added a big vase of mixed flowers.

Morgan had been there and added a wide screen TV.

Hotch had been there and left some pictures Jack had drawn for him and had been made into book marks.

Prentiss had put a card through the door: _Welcome Home – Emily_

Someone else had been there and left a lock of black hair, bits of scalp still attached and a vile of what looked like blood with a note: _**I am collecting again. I will contact you when it is time.**_

Reid luckily was looking at the card from Emily when Gideon found the last thing, and guided Reid to the bathroom quickly so he could get rid of things.

"Tub." Gideon ordered.

Reid turned to him and smiled. "I got a card from Emily. And why are you always ordering me into the tub?" he dropped the card in the bin on the way to bathroom.

Gideon waited until he could hear the water running and made a call.

"Hotch – we are at Reid's place. I need someone to come and collect some stuff I need taken to the labs."

…..

Reid sat in the lovely hot water and scrubbed at his skin. His back still felt tight and sore, and his shoulder still felt bruised where Morgan had shot him and his princess had bitten him, but for now he felt sort of happy. It was almost like his princess was still here with him. Somewhere inside. Keeping him safe and warm. He lay down and rested his head on the lip of the tub behind him and closed his eyes and fell into a deep natural sleep.

….

Gideon handed over the evidence bags to Hotch. "I need to know if that is human blood and hair and you know." He gave Hotch a quick run down of what happened back at the cabin. "Most of it makes no sense, but I will put it in writing. Just in case we need it." Hotch nodded and left as quickly and silently as he had arrived.

….

He was running through the woods. It was dark and someone was chasing him. He didn't know who and he didn't know why, but he felt lost and he couldn't see properly. It was like a film of oil or water was over his eyes. He couldn't focus. He couldn't breath. He stopped running. Too much running. Let it catch up with him. Now he will face his demons. In his dream he saw his princess crying. He saw someone taking her away from him. He saw Hotch.

He woke up.

…..

Gideon was alerted to something wrong by the sudden noises in the bathroom. He shouldered the locked door and ran to the tub, which a curtain had been drawn around. Reid was under the water. His eyes huge and terrified. Is hands grabbing for something to hold onto but everything just fell to the floor. Jason grabbed one of Spencer's hands and pulled him forwards so his head was out of the water. As soon as his face broke water the screaming started. Gideon dragged Reid out of the tub and lay him on the tiles of the bathroom floor. Spencer was failing and screaming out for Hotch. Jason threw a towel over Reid to protect his dignity and talked slowly and gently to him.

"Reid, its Jason. You had a bad dream. It's ok. I am here." and Reid's eyes seemed to focus on Gideon and the terrible noise he had been making stopped to be followed by huge sobs and shouting.

"Hotch was here. What did he take?"

"Samples from the cabin. He took them to the lab."

Reid curled up into himself. "That is – that is……oh god. Jason."

"Reid, you are shivering. Get yourself dry. I have made coffee, and Garcia has provided all the ice-cream you will ever want."

Reid started to rub himself dry with the towel. "Jason, I need to see my mum."

"Your mum?" Jason looked confused. He knew Reid avoided visiting his mother. "Now?"

"Not right now. Tomorrow. I need to see her Jason. I need to – you know hug her."

"Coffee and ice cream first, then we talk about having showers for now. Then we talk about a trip to Vegas."

Reid stood and wrapped the towel around his waist. "Seems good to me." And the smile looked genuine.

….

So they sat together and ate ice cream and listened to music and drank coffee, and then watched the Discovery Channel on the new TV and Gideon talked about birds, and Reid talked about statistics and percentages and gave Gideon some bird facts.

"I need to see my mum."

"Yes, tomorrow. We will fly down there. You need to sleep first."

"I need to see her before it's too late." Reid had started twisting his hands in his lap.

Gideon looked a bit puzzled. "Too late for what? Is she ill?"

Reid looked nervously over at Jason. "No, she is well. As well as she can be. It's me who is sick. I need to see her before I lose my mind and forget who she is." He was talking in a low whisper that Gideon had to strain to hear. "I need to say sorry. I am sorry. I need her to know. I need to see her face."

Gideon nodded. "Sleep now, tomorrow we will go see your mum."

"I miss her. She was here when we arrived. Hotch took her."

Reid got up and went to his bedroom. He pulled on sweats and t-shirt and lay on his bed. "Jason, will you do something for me. You can say no."

Gideon stood in the open doorway and looked at the man he thought of as his son. Too thin, too pale, too scared. "Anything."

"Will you lay with me and hold me tonight? I understand if you don't want to. I just don't think I can close my eyes. I don't feel safe."

Jason walked over to the bed. "Sure, shuffle over."

And Jason lay holding Reid as he shook and cried and shouted out in his sleep.

But we all get nightmares don't we? This doesn't mean Reid is falling apart again. This just means he knows he can come to me for help.

And Jason fell asleep with the sweet smell of Reid's sweat and fear surrounding him.

…


	21. Chapter 21 Mum

Mum

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

When Gideon woke in the morning Reid was still sleeping. It hadn't been a very restful night. Reid had cried and whimpered and shivered through most of it. It was the occasional request "Princess?" which worried Gideon the most. Jason carefully untangled himself from the young man and crawled back off the bed. He made coffee and scrambled eggs on toast. Then went back to see if the other agent was awake yet. He was sitting up on the bed rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Gideon! Coffee! Thank you." And a smile spread over his face and for once reached his eyes.

"Eggs too Reid. I want to see you have eaten something." And he plopped the plate on Reid's bedside table.

Gideon made sure the plane was available. Though not official BAU business this was definitely for the health of a team member. His request was cleared.

He went back to Reid's room in time to see him finish off the plate of food he had made him.

Gideon took the plate and refilled the mug. "Drink then shower. We have a plane to catch."

Whilst Reid was shaving and showering Gideon made a quick call to Hotch.

…

SSA Hotchner had been waiting for the call. He was sitting in his office with the lights off thinking. He let the phone ring a few times before answering.

"Hotchner."

A pause.

"Yes I have them here in front of me. To be honest I don't know what to make of it all Jason."

A pause.

"OK..yes. Blood, mix of human and animal. Hair was female human."

A pause.

"Yes. The skin fragments were the thing which puzzled me most. Human, mixture of male and female."

A pause.

"Unknown and, erm Reid. Same for the blood. The animal is rat."

A pause.

"I don't know Jason. I am really worried about this. Are you sure this visit is wise?"

A long pause.

"Just stay with him and bring him safely back to us."

Hotch put the phone down and sat looking at the paper in front of him.

…..

The plane ride went without anything odd or untoward happening. They played chess and they both cheated at cards. Gideon won the chess, Reid won at cards. It was good that things felt so normal.

…..

At Bennington they walked up the stairs together. They were expecting him.

"Dr Reid. So nice to see you. She is reading in the lounge."

Normally Reid would be nervous and hesitant when it got to the point of actually seeing his mum, but today he was at a virtual run. She was where she always was, sitting in front of a window. He suddenly stopped and looked at her. She was his mum. What had he done to her? He walked at a slightly less mad pace so as not to alarm his mum. Gideon followed at a distance, watching.

Reid knelt in front of his mum. "Hello mum." And his voice was scared and gentle. "What are you reading?"

She looked down at Spencer and frowned. "What are you doing on the floor, get up and make me my tea."

He put one hand gently on one of her knees and took the book from her with the other. "Mum it's me. It's Spencer."

"Pardon? Give me back my book." She looked cross and confused. Gideon had seen that same look on Reid's face many times and it made his stomach tie in knots to see the same look reflected straight back at Reid's mum. Reid suddenly got up. He was shouting.

"I flew all this way mum, you can at least do me the courtesy of recognising me!" and he threw his mothers book down on the floor.

"It does make me wonder why though Spencer. What do you want?" and she stood up and she was shouting too.

"Want? I want my mum! I want to feel loved, and I want to be able to love."

"Spencer, you are having a sugar rush. Come back when you are not talking such rubbish." And she picked up her book and returned to her seat.

Reid stood with his mouth open, not sure what to do. Gideon was taking him by the arm and guiding him out of the room.

"Dr Reid. That was very unhelpful. Please don't keep upsetting your mother like that." Said the nurse

And Reid would have decked her if Gideon wasn't already pushing Reid away and towards the stairs. "Chill Spencer. Try again in a while."

They found seats in the reception room downstairs. Reid looked crushed. Jason could feel the fear and sadness pouring out of him.

"You are not your mother, Spencer." He said quietly.

"I I know – I know that Jason. But statistics say……" Gideon cut him off.

"No statistics please Reid. You are not her. You are not responsible for what happened to your mum."

Reid looked over to Gideon. "I lied to Elle you know. After the incident on the train. I lied to Elle. She knew though. She knew the truth." Gideon nodded. "It just seems…you know, one minute everything is normal, then it suddenly isn't anymore. You don't notice the little things in between. Other people might notice them. But you know – you don't know its happening. Then it's too late. You are gone. Mum wasn't always like that." And he waved towards the stairs. "She was kind and loving and sweet – then things started to alter. I was young, I didn't notice. Dad did. Dad saw it coming like an avalanche. It took everything with it. Including me."

Reid looked down at his feet. "Odd socks. I must wear odd socks. I must wear my watch here." and he tapped the watch strapped over his sleeve. "Just two small things Jason. But I look out for them now. I try to change it. I tried to wear matching socks to work! I got as far as the metro and had to take one of them off and buy another pair. I couldn't do it. No on noticed. Its just 'strange' Dr Reid. Spouting off facts because I don't always understand simple tracks in conversation."

"OK Spencer Stop. We all have quirks. Everyone does. We are not all going insane. We are not all losing our minds. Garcia is far from the norm. I am not in the slightest bit concerned about her mental health though."

"Are you concerned about mine?" And he was looking at the floor again.

"Right now, yes I am. You have been through a lot recently. You shouldn't have had that mess happen to you. No one should. I am going to help you repair yourself. And I know you can. You are not your mother Spencer. You are just as likely to turn out to be like your father."

"Oh grand choices I am getting here!" and he did a small half smile. "I need to accept my mum as she is, don't I?"

"Yes. She might not always recognise you, but you will always know her. You don't need to worry about that."

Reid got up and wiped his palms on his cords and went back up the stairs. Gideon waited in reception.

"Mum?" She was standing at the window and turned to look at him. She smiled.

"Spencer!" and he wrapped his arms tightly around her and took in the smells of his mother. Her perfume, her shampoo, and her love.

…..

A man in hat and glasses stood at the edge of the children's playground. He was smiling, and he had a small dog on a leash next to him. A little girl walked over.

"Hello. Can I pet your dog?" He smiled down at the child.

"Her name is Princess." He said. "Do you want to take her for a little walk? She just loves it in the woods!" And grinning the child took the leash and skipped away into the wooded area behind the playground. The man with the hat and glasses followed.

….


	22. Chapter 22 The Collector Says Hello

The Collector Says Hello

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine

Hotch had been away for a few days now. Haley was used to this, but recently things at work seemed to be getting on top of Aaron. She knew he was in the office. He just wasn't coming home.

"Aaron, Jack and I really need you home. Please. Have I done something?"

She had called him again. How could he explain this? There was no real reasoning behind it.

"Things are pretty bad here. "

"You said. Come home I will make it feel better. Please Aaron."

"Haley you know I love you and Jack. You don't need the burden of this shit. Let me clear it. I will be home soon. I promise. Give Jack a kiss for me. Tell him I love him."

"It would be better coming from his daddy."

"I'm sorry Haley. I wish I could explain. I am trying to protect you."

And this is how it goes. Day after day. Aaron refusing to go home.

Haley took Jack to the mall. Not a grand opening. She avoided grand openings of anything. She put Jack in his buggy and walked along the rows of shops. She didn't really want anything. She just wanted to get out of the house and do something to take her mind off whatever was bothering Aaron so much he refused to come home.

There was a farmers market on today, so she decided to go down there and get some fresh veg for her and Jacks dinner tonight. She was going to invite her sister then decided it was too much stress listening to her being right all the time "married to the BAU blah blah yadda yadda." She pushed Jack down the rows of farm goods. Right at the end was a small collection of children and mothers looking at something. Haley went to join them. There was a man handing out novelties to the children. Haley took one with a nod and handed it to Jack.

The man smiled.

"Hello Jack." He said

Jack smiled back.

"Excuse me, how did you know his name?"

and the man in the hat with the glasses and the cowboy boots smiled a big lovely white smile and said "Oh I just guessed. He looks like a Jack."

Haley took the toy away from Jack and looked at it. "Who are you? And what the hell is this?"

"I am just a collector but I am sure your husband can tell you all about the scarecrow Haley."

She backed off and ran back through the crowd pushing Jack in front of her and pulling her cell phone out of her coat pocket. Hotch answered on the first ring.

……

The mall was searched but the man was no where to be found. Even the security cameras couldn't see him.

"Are you sure that is what he said?" Hotch asked his wife

"Yes I am sure! Do you think I would have called you if I wasn't sure?"

"I'm sorry love, I just had to ask. I know you are sure." And he put a protective arm around her shoulders.

The toy scarecrow was taken away to be tested for whatever tests they could do on it. Reid and Gideon were on their ways back from Vegas, and the rest of the team were doing piles of paperwork. With Reid not being around recently it seemed the mountains of paper were getting truly high.

"Where the hell is Reid when you need him." Morgan moaned. They all missed him, even if he was quiet. They missed his silence and sudden outbursts of interesting junk.

They had a rush job done of the toy Jack had been given, and Hotch had security posted at his house. Haley and Jack were to go no where without escort.

Hotch sat in his office and took the call when it finally came.

He listened carefully.

"Send that all up to me…fax it over. I need to read all that for myself."

Two minutes later his fax machine spat out the results.

………….

It was made of very fine leather stretched around small bones. The leather had been DNA tested. The results where there. – Skin Dr Spencer Reid. Bone unknown, hair Aaron Hotcher. It seemed it had all been soaked in fluid of some kind. A mix of different bodily fluids. Some was Spencer's, some was Hotch's. And some from an unknown source.

Hotch locked his office door and stood with his back to it. Was he going to go mad like Reid? Had he been targeted because he had managed to get cuffs on him, or had this all started a long time ago. He ran for the phone and punched in a number. "It's Hotchner. I need my wife and child taken to a safe house, now."

………….

Reid and Gideon where back at Reid's place. Gideon was taking a shower, and Reid was unpacking his overnight bag when the knock came on the door. Reid checked the spy hole and saw it was the local delivery man. He had seen him about often, and sometimes delivered packages to Reid. He was a known face so Reid happily opened the door. The delivery man flew past Reid and fell onto the hallway rug with a big hole in the back of his head. The man in the hat with the glasses and cowboy boots stood with a hammer in his hand and looked at Reid.

"Thought I would come take a look. See if you are ok and everything you know?"

And Reid just stood and stared.

"You look OK to me. I just need to borrow something from you though. I really hope you don't mind."

Reid opened his mouth to call Gideon but nothing came out. He stood stunned and let the man with the hat and the glasses and the cowboy boots stick a needle in him and draw blood from his arm. The man put the hammer in Reid's hand. His mouth was still open in a silent scream when the man bowed and took his leave.

"I'll be seeing you."

And this is how Gideon found Reid a couple of minutes later. Standing in a pool of blood coming from the local delivery man who's head had been caved in, holding a hammer covered in blood and gore. Standing unmoving staring out of the open door, the blood pooling around his feet.

"Reid?" Gideon whispered.

"Gideon – he Gideon it was him. Gideon he was here."

All Gideon could see was a very confused young man with a murder weapon in his hand. He ran and got some bags from Reid's kitchen. "Hammer in the bag Reid NOW!"

Reid nearly jumped out of his skin and dropped the hammer. "Gideon I didn't do this. Oh god, this wasn't me. You don't think I did this!"

"It's not looking too good for you right now. Hammer in the bag Reid. Then step out of that blood and onto here." and he threw newspaper down on the floor. "Quickly Reid."

Reid bent down and picked up the hammer in shaking hands and dropped into the bag Jason was proffering and stepped slowly back out of the blood. "He was here."

Gideon looked at the dead man and back at Reid.

"Oh god Gideon – that's not him." Reid suddenly looked confused. "That's not him Jason. He was here. He stuck a needle in me." And he absentmindedly rubbed at the place the needle had been. Gideon grabbed Reid's arm to look. He could see the puncture wound on the crook of Reid's left elbow. He could see a dead man on Reid's floor, and he had seen Reid holding the hammer. This was all falling into place, but it was all the wrong places.

"I need to call the police Reid. You need to get your head together enough to remember what the hell you did. Where are the drugs?"

"Drugs? What? Gideon! No! I told you this wasn't me!"

"Then get your story straight. I can't help you here Reid, you need to sort this yourself. Where are they?"

Reid was getting very cross now. Gideon was not listening to him. Jason was dialling 911 and reporting a murder.

"NO! Jason, why won't you listen to me!" Reid was beginning to shake with anger and fear. "I didn't do this! I will do a drugs test. I am not taking drugs. I hate them! You know I wouldn't do that."

"I am listening to you Spencer. But this man is dead. People will want to know why. I can't make this disappear for you. I can't."

It felt like the world had gone insane. Reid was led away hands cuffed behind his back. He was not going to have a good time of this. He knew it. He also knew they knew he knew. But he didn't do this. Gideon knew he didn't do this. Why was he not helping him?

…………

Gideon speed dialled Hotch and told him what had just happened. "I figure he is safer out of the way right now. They can't get to him if he is locked up. I will sort this. I know it's an arrest, but I will sort it. No don't worry. He is a profiler, he can deal with this. It's getting him out of the way. He will be safe. I don't want this man screwing with his mind constantly. He has a better chance being protected by the police. They going to keep an eye on him."

………..

That day Susan Roach went missing on the way home from school, and that bloke who is always pushing a wheel barrow down the road, well he wont be doing that anymore.

………….


	23. Chapter 23 Evidence

Evidence

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds still isn't mine.

Reid sat behind a wooden table bolted to the floor. The room was almost square. It had one door, and the reflective side of the 2 way mirror set into the wall he was facing. A detective was sitting opposite. Reid's hands were still cuffed but now they were in front of him, twisting in his lap. He kept his eyes down. He was not going to make eye contact with this detective. He wouldn't let him see into his soul Reid wasn't sure anymore what would be found there. He was wearing an orange jumpsuit, and was barefoot.

"Tell me again."

Reid sighed. "I have told you everything I remember."

"Tell me again."

"There was a knock on the door. I answered it." He closed his eyes. "I can't – I can't remember what happened." He was talking barely in a whisper.

"You need to speak up Dr Reid." And he tapped the recording devise on the table.

"I can't remember what happened." He spat out.

"Where did you get the hammer?"

"I don't remember. Someone gave it to me. I don't know. I can't remember."

"You haven't been well recently have you Dr. Reid? You went to see you mother in Bennington Sanatorium yesterday."

"I am fine. And yes I went to see my mum. That's not a crime."

"No it's not. Smashing someone's skull in with a claw hammer however is."

"I I didn't."

"You have been having mental health problems Dr. Reid. You have been in hospital."

"I am fine." Reid could feel tears of anger scratching behind his eyes.

"I don't think you are fine Dr. Reid. Or you would remember killing the postman wouldn't you?"

Reid stood up and banged his cuffed hands on the table "I did NOT k k kill him!"

"Sit down. You said you can't remember. Are you saying now that you can?"

"Yes…No…I don't remember. I just know I didn't kill him. Why would I do that?" He started to pace the room.

"I asked you to sit down."

"Well I just don't feel like it right now."

"You seem angry Dr. Reid. Do you get angry often?"

"I know what you are doing. I am a profiler. I know your tricks. I use them myself."

"Sit." He commanded.

Reid ignored him, and this was when the three other officers entered the room, dragged Reid back to the chair and cuffed him securely to a metal ring on the floor. Now his feet and hands were secured.

"This is totally stupid. I didn't do anything!"

"Evidence seems to say otherwise."

"I want a lawyer."

………..

Gideon looked worried.

"I need to see him."

"I am sure you do. He's lawyered up. No one is talking to him."

"He will need to know someone is looking out for him."

"Agent Gideon, we believe your agent killed someone in cold blood with a hammer. You are not going to be paying him a visit. He is not a child, he is a fully grown man and does not need you to be holding his hand. You are not being helpful. If you want to help your friend, if you think we have the wrong man, and I don't think you do think that, but you know Gideon, go catch who did this. Then we will all be happy."

"I know he didn't do this."

"I have read the report Gideon. I have the medical reports. Your man is unstable. You cannot seriously say that you know he didn't do this. I am to understand he broke Agent Hotchner's arm. He is capable of this. He admits he has no memory of what happened. It was you who made the 911 call."

"Evidence? What have you got?"

"Sorry I am not at liberty to discuss this with you further. Believe me when I say that we have enough evidence to hold your boy for a very long time."

"You are charging him?!" Gideon was not expecting this.

"We will wait for his lawyer to arrive. The state will foot the bill."

……….

The team sat in the round table room. JJ had folders in front of her and the remote in her hand.

They were quiet. No one was in the mood for joviality. Everyone was worried about their own being in jeopardy once again. Things were just not falling into place for Reid.

"OK JJ started. I picked up on the reports because of what we know about last time. People just going missing, some children, some adults, young and old. Animals too. This is something we didn't look into last time. There didn't seem to be a connection between animals going missing and people. Garcia did some research and came up with some very interesting statistics." JJ stopped, suddenly missing Reid so much she thought her heart was going to break.

"OK JJ what did she find?" asked Morgan.

"Well, last time, when the people went missing, it seemed to coincide with a massive lull in the local rat population. The vermin control people were being called out less and less. I contacted local farms to ask if there was a new rat poison or anything, and they said it was weird. There just didn't seem to be many rats around. Some farms seemed to have been totally rat free."

Everyone shuffled the files JJ tossed over to them.

"There has been a report from the dog pound people. No stray dogs have been seen in the area for almost a week. There just are not any. And lots of people reporting dogs being stolen."

…………

Reid was sitting still attached to the ring with an older looking man sitting next to him. The man didn't look totally comfortable with the situation, and was avoiding looking at Reid.

"OK Dr Reid. We can start talking again. Blood splatter pattern on your clothes. Care to explain how it got there?"

"You don't have to answer that." The man muttered.

Reid sighed. "No comment."

"Finger prints on the murder weapon."

"No comment."

"Only your footprints in the blood."

"No comment."

"Psychotic break, Dr Reid, do you understand what that means?"

Reid swore, and told him to do something physically impossible.

"Interview over. Take this son of a bitch away."

"What? No! I haven't done anything!"

Another officer stepped into the room. "Dr Spencer Reid, we are charging you………………………….."

……..

The call was forwarded straight to Hotch's phone. "I see. Yes I understand. Can I see him?" Hotch closed his phone. "They have charged Reid with murder."

"Damnit!" and Morgan ran out of the room.

"How?" Garcia was crying.

"Evidence all points at Reid. Even the blood splatter on his clothes. They say he must have made the killing blow. No other fingerprints or DNA found."

"He couldn't have!" And Garcia left the room to find Morgan.

Prentiss sat and said nothing. But she seemed to have an "I told you so" look on her face.

"I want to know if he was drugged again Hotch. He had a needle mark on his arm."

……

Reid protested loudly. He protested physically, but was dragged down the corridor towards where he would be spending the rest of the day and probably the night. He was stopped in front of a cell. Three walls of stone, and one of bars. There were four other men in there already. They stopped what ever it was they had been doing and looked over at the new comer. Reid's cuffs were removed and the door was unlocked. They gave him a hard shove and he stumbled into hell.

"Have a nice stay Agent Reid."

And a man with scruffy dark hair stood in the corner and smiled a big white smile, and took off his glasses and cleaned them.


	24. Chapter 24 Straight Back To Hell

Straight Back To Hell

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine, but if it was I would pay Matthew more money and demand he kept his hair long.

Reid stood and stared at the man in the corner for a few seconds then ran back to the door way and grabbed the bars.

"No! Let me out! You can't do this, I haven't done anything!" His shouts echoed back at him with the laughter of his fellows adding a backdrop.

He turned back quickly to take in where he was a bit better. They had formed a semi-circle around him. The man still stood back away in the shadows. Reid ran his fingers nervously through his hair and quickly looked at his feet.

"Agent Reid?"

"Yes?" And that was probably the one word which should never have left his lips.

The kicking's he took as a child at school were nothing compared to what happened next. These guys didn't kick like little girls.

…….

Gideon and Hotchner flew into action.

Hotch found Reid an attorney. It wasn't a job he felt he could do objectively at the moment. The Feds could foot the bill. It was their fault Reid had been so screwed up recently. Hotch knew people and had favours called in and got the best for Reid. He then had to go and protect his family from whatever it was going on.

Morgan knocked on Gideon's office door and entered without waiting for an answer. "What are we going to do? We can't let him stay there. If people find out he's with the Feds they will kill him. We have to get him out."

Gideon looked up slowly to Morgan. "I thought he would be safe for a while. I wasn't counting on the evidence saying he wielded the weapon."

"The evidence is wrong! You know that. He's been set up. Get him out."

Gideon didn't move. "Derek, I didn't see anyone else at Reid's place."

"What the hell are you implying?" Morgan looked fit to kill someone.

"Not implying anything Derek. Just you need to know. I didn't see anyone else there."

"You said you were in the shower. You wouldn't have seen anyone else."

"I know that. What I am trying to say is that I am not going to be able to defend him by saying I saw someone. I didn't."

"Hell Gideon. You could have protected him. You called the cops! You got Reid arrested. You know he didn't do that. Reid wouldn't do that!"

"Calm down and sit down. Things haven't gone to plan. Hotch's friend will get Reid out. Then we can talk to him. I want his place searched for drugs. Get over there and do that now."

Morgan sat. "Drugs?"

"He had a needle mark on his arm. I need to know what happened, and Reid doesn't seem to be able to tell us. Yet."

Morgan stood up and rubbed at his temples with his fists. "You think he's taking drugs again?"

"I don't know. Go check his place out. We need to be sure. We need to have the answers first. Then we can present them."

……..

They came to collect Reid. The attorney needed to talk to him.

"Reid!" they called from the doorway. The other men in the cell had their backs to the door. They turned as a unit and faced the bars, then stepped slowly out of the way. Reid was huddled on the floor.

"Get up off the floor and get your arse out here."

He didn't move.

One of the men spoke "I think he might find walking a bit painful. Want me to drag him over to you?" And he bent down and grabbed one of Reid's arms and dragged him towards the door. He made a low moaning sound, but didn't resist being dragged like an animal. "He fell over." The prisoner said and let go of his arm. "Actually he fell over a lot!" and they all laughed.

Reid was dragged out of the cell and pulled to his feet by the officers. The other prisoners had been careful not to touch his face. They half carried the moaning Reid to a small room with no windows and cuffed him again to a ring on the floor. He was sitting on a hard plastic chair in front of a big table fixed to the floor. Reid flopped forwards and rested his head on the table.

"Get the genius some water. He doesn't look too well." Reid just let out a small moan.

Reid's attorney entered the room and sat down opposite Reid.

"I am a friend of Aaron's. He has asked me to help you out here. You need to tell me exactly what you remember. But if all goes well I will have you out of this place within the hour. I am awaiting a call. I came to make sure they are treating you OK."

The officer put the drink of water down in front of Reid who didn't seem to have moved. He grabbed Reid's hair and pulled his head up. "Look at the man, scum, when he's talking to you."

Reid hissed "Let go of me."

"Indeed. I want some time alone with my client please." The officer let go of Reid's hair and his head flopped back down onto the table.

"My name is Eddie Volondo. What happened?"

"Before or after they kicked the shit out of me?" he mumbled. Reid pushed himself up on his elbows and carefully took the water in shaking hands. "I didn't kill anyone."

"I know. But the problem is that you keep saying that you don't remember. This is where things get sticky for you. You need to remember."

"I can't – I can't trust what I see." Reid pushed his sleeve up and looked at the needle mark on his arm. Big bruises were beginning to pop up along his arms where he had initially attempted to defend himself. "He took blood from me. I know he did. He drew blood."

"Who did Spencer?"

"That Floyd." His eyes darted to the door. "He was in the cell just now. When I arrived. He was in the cell. How can that be?"

Volondo shook his head. "I need to make a call." And he got up and left the room. Reid flopped back down onto the desk and closed his eyes. He was sure he had broken ribs and it felt like his back was bleeding. Where was Gideon? Where were the people who always said they loved him? Nowhere like always in life. So he imagined he was back in Vegas with his mum. And imagined her arms around him. And imagined her caressing his hair. And he cried silently and angrily.

Eddie Volondo was away for about five minutes. When he got back he was smiling.

Reid look up at him.

"We are leaving. They can't keep you here Spencer."

"What? I thought they had charged me"

"It's voided under the mental health act. I am going to get you to a hospital."

"What? No! Please no! I have just been released from hospital. Please don't send me back!"

"Don't worry Spencer it's just for an evaluation. But they can't hold you here. The charges are dropped. They are voided. You have a good friend somewhere."

Reid laid his head back down on the table. "I can't go back to the hospital. You don't understand. I need to talk to Gideon."

"All in good time. Let's get you un-cuffed and out of this place." He turned in his seat and called out. "Officer, we are ready."

An officer came in and threw a pair of rubber shoes on the floor. "He might need those." He leaned over Reid and un-cuffed him. "Good luck mate." He said and left the room.

Volondo knelt on the floor and put the shoes on Reid's bruised feet. "My car is outside."

"Please don't take me there. They will never let me out again." He let Volondo put the shoes on him, and felt the man put his arm around him and lift him from the chair.

"A bit of help Spencer, please. I am on your side here."

"Wait. Floyd was in the cell with me. Why is he here? Find out for me please."

Volondo nodded. "If it will help you feel happier about this. Wait here I will go find out what I can."

"No! Eddie, don't leave me here on my own." Reid looked terrified, so Eddie called out for someone. Officer Culver entered the room.

"Can I help?" it was the same officer who had given Reid the shoes.

"I would like the names of the men in the cell. We might need to make a claim against the assault."

"Sure I know them all, Towner, Van Dorp, Andanatchi and Atenza."

Reid looked up "There were five of them."

"Nope mate. Four." And the officer turned and left the room again.

………

The ride to the hospital was very stressful for Reid. Eddie Volondo wasn't fully aware of the fear that was slowly building up in Reid.

"Eddie, I know you are helping me here, but I really need to see Gideon."

"Yes, later. I need to get you checked in first – for an evaluation."

"Checked in?" Reid was pulling at the car door handle. "Let me out!"

"Just calm down Spence."

The fist to the side of Reid's head stopped his struggle to get out of the car instantly and he slumped into the seat.

………

Gideon and Hotch were at the station talking to the officer on the desk.

"Yes Dr Reid. I want to know what the hell is going on." Gideon was saying.

"He's gone." And the officer just carried on fiddling with his paperwork.

"What do you mean Gone?" Gideon spoke in a gentle calm manner.

"The lawyer took him for an evaluation."

"What lawyer?"

"One second. I will find the paperwork. Your agent took a bit of a kicking in the cells." More fiddling with paperwork, and as he turned over some paper and small origami animal fell out. "Eddie Volondo. A friend of SSA Hotchner. It says."

Hotch shook his head. "I don't know an Eddie Volondo."

…………………..


	25. Chapter 25 Getting Personal

Getting Personal

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds. I do own the original chars in this fic though.

**A/N: Thank you to all the people who are still reading and reviewing this story!! You are all wonderful and Dr Matty…thanks so much for all the food!!! And thank you 101Spacemonkey for being so evil…you are my role model!!!**

Reid awoke in a lump on the floor. He was still wearing the orange clothes he had been given at the station, but his rubber shoes had been removed. It was pitch black. He carefully felt around himself. The floor seemed to be made of stone of some kind. He crawled slowly and carefully until he reached a wall. It was damp and cold and make of brick. It seemed to be curved. Slowly he started to stand up, but realised that his ribs hurt too much so he stayed on his hands and knees and crawled along following the curve of the brick wall. It was very obviously a circle, and not a very large one at that. He estimated that the whole room was less than eight foot across.

There was no door. There were no windows. It felt like he was in a deep man made pit or maybe a well. He found a bottle of what was probably water, but not being able to see anything he decided not to drink it. Yet. He sat down and pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs and rested his forehead on his knees and rocked gently.

……….

Garcia searched her babies and found as much info on Eddie Volondo as she could. He was married and he had two daughters. They had been on vacation in Maine for the past month. He was an insurance salesman, aged 32, born in Washington DC, but now living in Virginia. It seemed the family moved around a lot. They had a few debts but nothing outstanding. Volondo had no criminal record, not even a parking ticket. Just how he came to be able to walk out of a police station with a prisoner and no one ask any questions was the puzzler. Why he had done it was also a question they needed answered. Where his family were right now was unknown, but they were not at home, and the children had not returned to school after the summer vacations.

JJ had something extra to add. The mutilated corpse of Eddie Volondo had been found. Some body parts had been removed. Not totally carefully. More like ripped off. Internal organs were missing. The face had been more or less left alone except for the lack of eyes and teeth. It was also noted during autopsy that some major brain surgery had taken place via the ears and nose. The last person this man had been seen alive with was obviously Reid. Reid who was still suspected of killing a mail man with a hammer. Reid who the authorities had proof was suffering from severe mental health problems. Reid who's DNA was found at the scene. Reid who had left bits of himself behind under the victims fingernails. Reid who was missing.

………

Floyd sat and looked at the bits around him. He smiled. Things were coming together quicker this time round. He had harvested some good stuff and that Roach girl had had lovely hair. He always liked blondes. That JJ and Penelope had good hair. But the risk of taking them was too high. He knew they were looking for him and looking for Spencer. He smiled and brushed gently at what had once been the Roach girls long yellow hair.

"You will just love this one Spence. I know you adore blondes."

………..

The car was located.

Gideon, Hotch, Morgan, and Prentiss went to check out the scene. It had been abandoned at the side of a small side road. Dark green average looking car. Nothing to make it stand out from the crowd until you looked inside. It was obvious something bad had happened. The passenger side window had a small smear of blood on it. It looked like someone had hit their head on it. Very hard. The driver side windscreen was covered in a spray of blood, and more blood had pooled in the drivers well. The blood loss had obviously been fatal, but the driver's body had been found twenty miles away from here. A full set of teeth were found on the back seat of the car along with more blood. A lot more blood and bloodied hand and finger prints.

The CSU were all over the car, taking samples and getting prints. The team didn't know what to think anymore. They knew Reid hadn't done this. They knew he was the eternal victim in this. What they couldn't figure out was why. Why would this man keep taking Reid, screwing his brain around then let them take him back again? What did this man have planned? What were his motives? How was he getting so many people involved in this so quickly? He seemed to be everywhere at the same time, yet nowhere. What had he done with Reid this time? And what about the princess?

The trunk of the car was popped open. The smell that hit them was only too familiar. Fear gripped Hotch's stomach as he leaned over to see what they had found now. He was expecting to find Reid there, bound and dead. What he saw was a macabre mix of different body parts. They were different sizes and skin colours. They were in different stages of decomposition. They could immediately pick out the hands and feet and limbs. Some bits had been carefully wrapped in plastic. Yet more, on investigation were dumped in bin bags. They found no heads or torsos. The fingers had been damaged in a way so as not to get finger prints.

If any of these bits belonged to Reid, it was going to take a while to find out. It was also noted that most of the limbs had a good part of the skin removed. They moved back and let the CSU do their gristly job of collecting the bits and sorting them back at the lab.

……

Something fell on the floor next to Reid, and a voice called from above him. "Eat something."

Reid turned his head to look at where the voice was coming from. Hoping for some light but there was none. He reached out carefully to see what had fallen next to him, and found something warm and wet. He picked it up and lifted it carefully to his nose. A huge chunk of raw meat. His stomach screamed with hunger. His brain just screamed. He hurled the thing away from him self and he heard it hit the wall with a friendly splat. He quickly rubbed his sticky hands on the legs of his jump suit.

"Have it your own way Spencer." And the voice was gone and Spencer was alone again holding himself together because he was not his mother. He could survive this. This was nothing, just a bit of light deprivation and hunger and thirst and the constant pains where his cracked ribs hurt, and so he started to recite Proust and imagined being safe with his mum at a time when they both had sane minds.

…….

If you are a member of the FBI all your details are automatically on every data base. Finger prints, blood type, DNA etc. So when the lab processed the prints they were quick, very quick in fact, on arriving at the point where they called Hotch. The supervisor went over to the BAU to talk about the results.

Gideon, Hotch and the CSU bloke sat in Hotch's office. They looked unhappy. They looked scared.

"OK. Fingerprints came back as Dr Reid's and an unknown. The hand prints where Reid's. The Blood on the passenger window was Reid's. The blood on the driver side belonged to Eddie Volondo. The Teeth belonged to Eddie Volondo. The blood on the back seat was a mixture. Animal blood, dog, Reid and an unknown male."

He looked up at the two agents who were looking back at him waiting for the miracle of good results for Reid. Just once. Something good for Reid. Something to give them all some hope that they could get their boy back safely.

"Body parts in the trunk. We found Volondo's children, erm..parts of Volondo's children. We found his wife's scalp. There was a container. A container of blood. About a pint. Reid's blood. Traces of saliva around the rim. It looks like someone had been – erm – drinking it but the tests on the saliva came back inconclusive. It wasn't Reid's. We know that much."

Was that the only good news they were going to get? Reid hadn't been drinking his own blood. Wonderful. They can all relax now!

………….


	26. Chapter 26 The Little Treasure

The Little Treasure

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine.

It was close to impossible to profile Floyd. Yes he was a sadist. He enjoyed torture, and seemed to be cannibalistic. They had no idea who he actually was though. There was no trace of this particular Floyd Flanders on record. His crimes were not sexually motivated as far as they could tell. When the princess was around it seemed more of a father daughter relationship than lovers.

It was his relationship to Reid that puzzled them so much. Floyd was obviously obsessed by him. He would let him go, then just as he seemed to be healing would tear him apart again. They all knew Reid wouldn't be able to hold out much longer with this treatment.

The area was being torn apart looking for trace's of Reid or Floyd, or how the body managed to get so far away from the car with no sign of another vehicle being involved. Well not yet anyway, they were still searching for that too.

……….

Reid sat on the damp floor and wondered what he had done wrong. Why was he being so punished? Was it because of his mum? He thought he had at last put those demons behind him by going to see her recently. How long ago had it been? How long had he been down here? He was so thirsty. He was so cold. Were his friends still looking for him? Had Gideon even noticed he was missing? Was Hotch's family alright? Was JJ worried? Morgan was probably having a joke about this. Stupid Reid keeps getting kidnapped. Let someone else have a turn. Yes, it was someone else's turn.

Very slowly Reid crawled to the wall and ran his fingers over it. It was running with water. At least he could get some moisture in his mouth. He wet his palms on the walls and licked hungrily at them. It was old dank dirty water, but it had the soothing qualities that Reid was so desperate for. He knelt in the small puddle forming on the stone floor and rested his forehead on the wall and wondered very briefly where that meat had gone.

He was still kneeling leaning on the wall when he heard something drop on the floor behind him. He had no idea how long he had been kneeling there, but his body seemed to have locked. He hurt all over. The coldness was seeping through to his bones. His fingers were numb, and his bruised feet had no feeling in them. He moved slowly, not getting up off his knees and reached out for what had dropped. It was small, and wrapped in bubble wrap. He lifted it to his nose, but couldn't smell anything. With immense difficulty he slowly, oh so slowly and painfully unwrapped the thing which had been dropped down to him. It was a small bottle. Reid suddenly realised what it was he was holding and dropped it back down onto the floor.

A voice from above. "Eat your dinner and drink your drink Dr Reid, and I will give you the needle you will be needing so much by the morning."

Reid just let out a low moan and lay down on the damp floor on his side. He was very much doubting he would still be here by the morning. His thin body just didn't have the strength to cope with this amount of punishment. He needed water and he needed food. He curled up foetal and tried to recite Revelations to himself but he was losing track of the words, and his mind was muddling them around.

………

Floyd was assembling. He was creating. This was going to be so good. He ran fingers over the new face with the new hair and eyes. Deep blue eyes. Such a sweet face. He was sure this time he had it right. Spencer would be pleased. He would want to stay. He would beg to stay this time! If he survived the night. The boy will have to eat or drink eventually. And one will lead to the other he had made sure of that. And obviously once that happened Reid would be his, and he can see the little treasure he had created for him. The face looked up at Floyd and smiled and a hand slowly lifted and rested on the side of his face. The man with the hat and glasses and hair and cowboy boots smiled back down at the child.

………

Reid woke up from a wrong kind of sleep. The kind of sleep you know you shouldn't have been having. One which was empty of dreams or nightmares. Just an empty time. He was slumped against the wall holding something in his hand. He still could see nothing. The darkness was complete, but he was now fully aware of what it was in his hand. He dropped what was left of the meat and gagged and vomited on the hard floor. He crawled to where the water bottle had been left and felt for it in desperation crawling through stuff on the floor he no longer cared about. Reaching blindly his fingers touched the small bottle again and he pulled back his fingers like they had been burned. Water, where was the water? Other things were on the floor in the odd room now. Bits of things he didn't want to think about in this darkness. This would cure him of his fear of the dark. Morgan would be delighted. He finally found the bottle and opened it and tipped the contents into his mouth desperate to get rid of the taste of whatever he had eaten. It came out of the bottle in clogged lumps. It filled his mouth and poured in clots down the front of his clothes. This was not water. This was something else. This was something vile and cold and old.

Reid screamed and threw the bottle against the wall.

He stood up, although in pain and moved slowly to the wall again. His feet sliding and slipping on objects and liquids which had been dropped whilst he slept.

…………

Floyd heard the screams and with a smile and a loving stroke he left the child with the blonde hair and blue eyes he picked a package up off the table and walked to the dark room where the pit was. Where he kept his toy. Seemed like Spencer was playing by the rules at last. This made the man happy. He cleaned his glasses and moved to the lip of the pit. He dropped the package down.

"A gift for you Spence. Enjoy!"

And he walked away with a happy satisfied smile on his face.

……….

A whimpering Reid felt the air rush past him as the package fell almost at his feet. He carefully and painfully reached down to touch it. It was not warm or sticky. It didn't bite him or burn him, so he knelt down and opened it up. Inside he found 3 things, a large rubber torch, a length of rubber tubing, and a syringe. He left two of the things in the pack and found the switch on the torch.

Being able to see again was something he had been longing for. Being able to see gave hope. He clicked the switch and slowly let the beam of light float around the room.

The floor was scattered with various objects. The bottle he had drunk from, another bottle with what looked to be water, a few fingers and eyes, a limb or two. He could make out three heads, and lots of stuff he didn't even want to think about where it came from, though his brain automatically told him anyway. He was surrounded by bits of people.

…..

When the man with the hat and glasses came to check up on Reid about an hour later he was laying on his side with the rubber tubing around his arm, and the needle at his side. He could see the steady rhythm of Reid's breathing, and Floyd smiled.

"I knew he would do that. Silly boy. There is no escape now Spencer Reid."

He looked at something behind him, and beckoned someone over to him.

"Do you want to come and have a look princess?" And a very pretty blonde haired girl with deep blue eyes smiled and walked over to the edge of the pit.

"Oh so sweet when he is sleeping"

And she smiled.

……………………


	27. Chapter 27 Games

Games

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds does not belong to me.

**A/N: LestatHughLover I am so sorry I made you feel unloved. /sob This chapter is dedicated to LestatHughLover….LestatHughLover….LestatHughLover… LestatHughLover…… LestatHughLover (happy now?)**

Reid knew that his only way out of here now was to play the game Floyd had set. He pulled the rubber hose around his arm and sat looking at the small bottle in front of him. He raised an eyebrow at it and shook the bottle and watched tiny bubbles form inside. It was a familiar thing, but he no longer feared it. He slowly and carefully picked up the syringe and drew up a completely random amount out of the small bottle, then carefully lay the bottle on its side behind him. He then swung the torch around in a slightly erratic pattern but being sure to check no one was watching from the rim of the pit. He then squirted the drug back out of the needle. He looked at it and smiled

"You can't get me twice. I know you too well now."

He lay down on his right side and placed the syringe next to him. Now if someone looked down they would see the band around his arm…and the syringe at his side. Floyd might think he was playing his game. But the ball was definitely now in Reid's court. He closed his eyes against the view of the bits of people around him. He had seen worse. He could deal with this. He was sure the others wouldn't be able to find him. It just always seemed to be the way. This Reid was sure was a situation he needed to get out of himself. And he couldn't do that if he was woozy with drugs. He was in a lot of pain, but he was not weak. He was not a child so here he waited for their next part of the game. He felt at peace. He was going to win.

………

He must have fallen asleep, because when he woke up he was looking directly into Floyd's eyes. He was sitting on the floor next to Reid smiling. Reid blinked a couple of times and carefully sat up. Floyd offered him a drink of water. The taste of blood and flesh was still ripe in Reid's mouth so he took the water. He didn't swallow, he rinsed and spat. Floyd smiled again.

"Would you like a mint?"

Reid nodded slowly, watching Floyd would be his new hobby. He took the proffered mint, and rolled it over his tongue. It felt oddly good and he gave Floyd a half smile of gratitude.

"Thank you." He said quietly and glanced upwards.

"You want out of here I expect, but you know I just don't trust that you will behave yourself just yet."

Reid didn't say anything, he just carried on watching Floyd, who started to look curious and looked back at the young agent.

"You know, talking is good. Talk to me Spencer Reid. Tell me what you are thinking. Why are you here? Any ideas?"

"I know why I am here. I figured that part out a long time ago Floyd." And Reid smiled.

"Please tell me. I would love to know what you think of all this."

"Floyd, you are insane. You are an obsessional sadist. I am still trying to figure out what your father must have done to you, or was it your mother?"

Floyd stood up and looked down at Reid sitting on the floor. "Shut your dirty mouth Dr Reid."

Reid raised an eyebrow. "Your mother. This is why you obsess with me then. You know about my relationship with my mother. Was your mother also schizophrenic? Is that your fixation with me? Are you trying to get me to crack like you did?"

Spencer took the boot to his face. He was half expecting it and managed to ride some of the force of it, but he still fell to lay amongst the bits on the floor. He saw stars for a few seconds. Then rolled and got up. "It won't work Floyd. I don't have what my mother has. I won't crack just because you throw bit of body at me."

He gestured around the room. "This, yes this was pretty scary when I couldn't see what it was. Yes you got me there Floyd. You know I don't like the dark. You knew I would freak out and I did. Well done, but the rest of this wont work on me."

Floyd looked puzzled and annoyed. "What would you know about my mother! How dare you assume you know about me."

Reid turned his back on Floyd. "I am a profiler. What would you expect me to do?"

"Don't you turn your back on me!" And the man grabbed Reid's shoulder and span him round again.

"What will you do Floyd? Kill me? I don't think so. You would have done that a long time ago. You need me alive. Just like you need your sick children to adore you."

"I could leave you down here to rot, you dirty little freak." Spat Floyd.

"But you won't." And Reid's eyebrows did a cocky little twitch.

Reid was taking a big risk. But the team just didn't seem to be getting their arses over here to get him out of this mess. They had let him down. Over and over again they let him down. If they hadn't run their butts ragged looking for him he was going to be mighty pissed at them.

For now Spencer had to assume he was alone. And this psychopath wasn't going to get the better of him. Sure he had problems, but the way out of this mess was to do what he had been trained so well to do.

………

When Reid came round he saw a bloodied brick next to him and his head felt like someone had hit him with it pretty hard. He carefully felt the back of his head. He would be fine. This Floyd bloke had badly underestimated Reid this time. This time he wasn't going to slip into tears. He had control. He so hoped he had control, because if he had this wrong he was a dead man. Sure he was a freak. And that freak was getting out of here with or without help.

He called out for Floyd.

"Flanders! Get me out of here now!"

The demands were answered by a rope ladder. Reid was still in a lot of pain. It was a long, long slow climb to the top. He pulled himself over the lip and lay breathing heavily. His ribs hurt, his head hurt, but he was determined to stay alert. He had a quick look around himself. It was a room not a lot bigger than the opening in the floor. The ladder had been tied off to a big metal ring in the wall. Slowly and carefully he opened the only door and entered the next room. Floyd was sitting there with a blonde haired girl. They both smiled at him.

It was a big room. Like a mad scientists laboratory. A very mad scientist. The room was scattered with yet more body parts and bottles of blood, and well, just bits. He looked around quickly for another door. A way out of this hell.

"Are you wondering where she came from? Don't you think I made a nice little JJ for you?"

Reid looked at the child. "I assume you took her the same as you took me. And your twisted imagination filled in the gaps. She resembles JJ about as much you do. You failed again Floyd." Reid felt sick looking at the little girl who did indeed look like a mini JJ, but he couldn't let this monster know what he was really thinking. He could be a good liar when he needed. He just needed to believe. And he believed he was correct. Floyd was on his way down. Reid was going to crush him the same way he tried to crush Reid.

…………..

**A/N oooh my !!! I wasn't expecting that to happen !**


	28. Chapter 28 Wanted

Wanted

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine. Original Characters are though, as is the plot, and the insanity.

The team had not really had much opportunity to search for Reid. He was still wanted for the murder of the delivery man, and now for the murder of Eddie Volondo. The BAU were told to keep away and they agreed. They couldn't get involved in this. Not obviously anyway. Other cases were also being thrown their way. They still had jobs to do. Hotch couldn't close down the BAU because of what seemed to be an agent losing him mind and going on a killing rampage.

Reid's face was plastered all over the news and the papers. His face was appearing in shop windows Wanted for Double homicide. Reward. Armed and Dangerous. Do not approach. The faces of the dead appearing next to his, just to rub it in and as more bodies and missing were found or reported the more faces where placed next to Reid's.

Derek parked his SUV and filled the tank. Then the walked into the petrol station shop to pay. On his way in he saw his friend's face plastered all over the window. People had added comments like **'PIG SCUM'** And a lot worse. There had been about 20 faces stuck around his wanted poster. Faces that as far as Morgan knew had no connection to Reid at all. Except for the first two. He entered the shop and turned to look at the window from the inside, then reached out and ripped the whole lot off the window.

"Hey you! What do you think you are doing?" Called the bloke from behind the counter.

Derek held the bits of paper in his hand and walked slowly over to the counter. He was counting to twenty slowly under his breath and slammed the stuff down in front of the man.

"What the hell is this?"

"Wanted poster for that FBI bloke who's gone off killing people." And he started to pick the bits up and flatten them "Can't you read?"

"That man," and Derek stabbed at the poster with his finger, "Happens to be my friend. You want to accuse him of something, you do it through me. Understand?"

"I am sorry ya friends a scum bag murdering son of a bitch mate, but the posters don't make themselves." And he guy was twitching his finger near an emergency button.

Derek took out some money and dropped it on the counter, and flipped his FBI ID open at the same time. "Fine put your poster up, but remove ALL that didn't come with it. He is not involved with all this shit." And Derek swept the pictures of the missing and dead onto the floor.

……….

Hotch went to visit his wife and child. They were still in a safe house and though it was a very nice place, and although they were being well cared for they wanted to go home. Hotch wanted them home, but he wanted them to be safe even more. They sat as a family for the first time in a long while and ate dinner. Pasta. It was probably the best food Aaron had ever eaten. Jack made a terrible mess, and no one minded. It was a glorious feeling. He was smiling.

"Tell me about Spencer." She suddenly said.

"You know I can't talk about the case." And his face dropped and the smile went.

"It's not your case anymore Aaron. Tell me what he has done." She looked scared.

"Nothing. He hasn't done anything. He is a victim Haley." And the food was being pushed around his plate. The happy mood gone.

"His face has been on the television Aaron. They don't do that to victims. They are looking for him to arrest him, not to say well done and give him candy. They say he has killed some people."

"Yes they are saying that." And he got up from the table.

"Are we safe from him Aaron? Does he know where the safe houses are?" she had put her fork down on her plate and was watching the man she loved closely. She knew when he was lying. She had known him too long.

"We are safe all the time he is in danger. We don't know where he is Haley. He won't come looking for you."

"But that man knew us. He knew Jack. He had bits of your hair! How did he get bits of your hair Aaron?" And Hotch stared at his wife and smiled.

"I have to go. Don't leave the house babe. Please."

……..

Garcia was in her bunker doing yet another check for Gideon on the name Floyd Flanders. Still there was nothing. The name existed but not in connection to the man they were looking for. All Floyd Flanders she could find had been located and checked and double checked, as far as Garcia and her babies knew, this particular Floyd Flanders didn't exist.

Hotch walked in quietly and sat heavily in a chair next to her. Why did he always make her feel so nervous?

"Garcia, I have been thinking. Well it was something Haley said to me."

She turned her chair around to look at her boss "Go on."

"I want you to find out. I know some places sell hair, or give hair to charities and such like." Where I get my hair done, check to see if they forward the hair onto anywhere."

Garcia swung her chair back around and said "Name of establishment?"

After a few clicks she sat and stared at the results. "Hotch, yes they do."

"Charity?"

"No, they sell to independents, doll and puppet makers. I am getting a list of them for you."

…………

Reid looked around for the way out. Trying not to look as scared as he really felt. That was OK, he was allowing himself to be scared. He needed to keep the fight or flight reflexes alert. He had no idea what Floyd would try next.

"I am leaving and you are going to let me." He announced.

"You can't just leave. You will be arrested as soon as you leave this place. You will be in prison. You will be raped in the showers and murdered in your sleep. Is that what you want?"

For a second a puzzled look crossed his face, but it was long enough for Floyd to pick up on it.

"Oh you silly boy. You still don't realise do you?" And he threw a national newspaper over to Reid. It fell at his feet and he slowly bent down and picked it up. The front page. His stomach turned over.

**Murdering FBI agent still killing. More kills have been attributed to Dr Spencer Reid as he crosses America on a killing spree. Kill count has risen to 25 in just 3 days…….**

"What? What is this?" Reid waved the news paper at Floyd.

"That my boy is why you can't leave here. Men and women, boys and girls. You kill indiscriminately with no MO, and no pattern. A sadist and a sexual pervert. They are having a problem finding you. If you leave here Reid you will be shot on sight. You don't think they will risk arresting you again, not after last time."

"But I didn't do this! I can prove it. This is just another of your tricks Floyd, remember what I said. I am not you, and I am not my mother. This stupidity will not work on me."

"Spencer, you need to know, it is working. You can no longer tell what is real and what isn't. Are you hearing the voices in your head again yet? Like you did when you were a boy? Do you not realise that you are psychotic? That you are broken? That your mother's illness took you as well weeks ago? Poor Spencer, did no one think to tell you?"

"I am not going to listen to this, I am leaving. Princess, are you coming with me or staying here? Either way fine with me."

"They will kill you if you leave. Have you read what you are doing to these people? Cannibalism, and Dr Reid, I really think they will be able to prove that bit of the story. Oh yes, and your DNA and finger prints turning up occasionally. Very clumsy of you Dr Reid."

The new blonde princess walked slowly over to Reid. Her eyes were huge and mesmerising. She smiled a beatific smile at Reid and held onto one of his shaking hands gently, he looked down at her as she stuck the taser in his side.

The world went dark again.

………


	29. Chapter 29 Hunt

Hunt

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine.

Garcia and Hotch looked through the small list she had printed out. There were four separate companies the shop sold to on a regular basis.

'Snells Dolls House Dolls – Victoriana.'

'Liberties Dolls Wigs.'

'Hasseltines Handmade Hairy Jewels.' Which turned out to an odd company which makes jewellery out of human hair.

'Scarecrows and Mannequins'

They sat and stared at the list.

"They sold your hair to that creep?"

"Address Garcia?" She did a quick scan.

"Nada, 'collects by hand' it says. That's kinda creepy."

Hotch stood up. "Thank you Garcia." And with a frown on his face he left the bunker to find Derek and Emily.

……

They drove down town to where Hotch got his hair done on a regular basis. Haley and Jack also got their hair done here. Hotch disliked the thought that parts of the people he loved most in the world were being sold to doll makers and sadists. They pulled up and jumped from the vehicle and entered the busy salon. Hotch showed his badge to the girl at reception.

"I need to talk to the manager." Said Hotch.

"Oh OK…was there a problem sir?"

"Not yet, get the manager." Morgan piped up

"Please." Added Emily.

The manager was an effete man in his forties. "Can I help you?"

Hotch took charge again and Derek and Emily stood back listening.

"Yes, you sell hair clippings from the salon?"

"That's not illegal."

"I need some information on one of the companies you sell to, 'Scarecrows and Mannequins'"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Yes that is one of my clients, what is it you need to know about it?"

"An address. A description of your client. Who picked up the consignment."

"I don't think I have an address. I will check for you. He picks up personally and pays cash."

The man started to flick through an address book behind reception. Morgan was impatiently dancing from one foot to the other.

"No address, but he comes in regularly. He is due again, let me check – tomorrow. Tall man scruffy, always in a hat and glasses."

"What sort of time does he arrive?" Hotch asked

"Closing time, around 5pm. Is he dangerous?"

Emily stepped forwards, "No not at all, we just would rather you didn't tell him we had been here. You have nothing to worry about."

Hotch nodded and left the shop, with Derek and Emily in tow.

"Now we wait until tomorrow, and see if he arrives." Hotch walked back to the car.

…………

When Reid finally woke up again he was alone. Still in the orange kit he had been provided with. He stank of stale sweat and decomp, but as he rubbed his eyes and rolled over to get a look at where he was, he could see he was in the open. In a field? The grass was short and as he sat up a bit to look around he could see he was at the edge of a playing field. There were people around. Some children playing ball, a teenager on a bike, students laying around doing school work. Things looked so normal. How the hell did he get here? His ribs still hurt from the kicking, his head hurt from the brick, his whole body hurt from the taser.

He needed to call Gideon. He would know what to do. Slowly and painfully he started a long walk across the playing field. There laying in the sunshine was a girl reading a book. Her cell phone was in the grass next to her. He approached quietly then gave a little cough.

"Excuse – excuse me, may I b b borrow your phone?" The pretty face looked away from her book, and up to the person talking to her. She was already smiling and reaching out for her cell. Then the expression changed as she dropped the book and leapt to her feet.

"Take the cell, just don't hurt me!"

"What? – no it's not what you think. Please, I won't hurt you." Hands flapping nervously.

But she turned and ran screaming across the field. Reid watched her for as long as it took to blink and grabbed her phone. He turned and ran and stumbled. back towards the distant tree line.

……….

Gideon was in the round table room with the team talking about the business of the hair and what they intended doing tomorrow. His phone rang, he looked at caller display, and it said 'unknown caller' He accepted the call and put the phone to his ear with a frown on his face.

"Reid! Slow down – I can't hear you. Where are you?" The other team members eyes had gone huge as the listened in. "Reid I am putting you on speaker, the rest of the guys are here."

"Right slow down, where are you?"

"I don't know. I just woke up here."

"Who's with you?"

"Gideon, tell me what to do – I'm alone."

"Where are you calling from?" Asked JJ

"JJ! Oh god JJ erm – a cell phone. Pink."

"Reid listen, where did you get the phone from?"

"I asked if I could borrow it, but she ran off."

"Who did?"

"A girl in the park."

"Reid, we are going to try to get a trace on that phone. Stay still, stay on the line. Keep talking to us."

"Gideon, I got to him. He let me go. I know why he keeps doing this. I need to keep moving, I can hear police sirens." And the line went dead.

"Oh my god Gideon we cant let the local cops get hold of him!" and JJ was on her feet. "Call him back!"

Gideon was already hitting the recall button but all he got was the unobtainable sound. "Did Garcia get anything?" He asked.

Prentiss was on another line looking sad and shaking her head.

………….

Reid started to run, then reconsidered the options and stopped. He hadn't done any of the things he was being accused of, so why is he running. He needed to stay still as Gideon had suggested and let them pick him up with no fight. The phone battery had died on him but he still held it tightly in his hand. He would need to return that. He scratched irritably at his arms, and looked curiously at the pin prick marks in the crook of his elbows. He didn't feel drugged. He was thinking straight and clear headed, so what had that man done to him?

As he stood amongst the trees he listened out for pursuit. Maybe he should go back to the playing fields, but that meant moving, and the less moving he did the better. He needed to look inoffensive and not give them any reason to use force. He started to walk very slowly back the way he came. His feet were in agony. Still bruised from the time in the cell and now he was walking barefoot in the woods. He could tell he had small cuts and grazes on them so he walked slowly listening out or people.

As he reached the edge of the woods he could see police running over the fields towards him. He stood and waited, taking deep breaths, not knowing what was going to happen to him. Not even sure if they knew who he was. Good guess was that they did though. They had all stopped running and were just standing pointing guns at him, so yes, he guessed right, they knew who he was and he probably should have kept running.

They stood staring at each other. Were they expecting him to do something? Did they want him to lay down or walk towards them? He stayed still and watched and tried to work out what they were doing and what he should be doing. He was innocent. Act innocent. The sight of SWAT running across the field was not a totally wonderful one for Spencer, but then again if SWAT were here the chances that Hotch had been informed by someone unofficially were pretty high.

Voices shouting at him. "Put down your weapon!"

He didn't have a weapon. Did they mean the cell? He needed to return that.

"Put down your weapon!" shouted again as men if full SWAT gear raced towards him. He was hardly going to kill them by text msg, so he stood still and watched them getting closer. He had to make decision, he was at risk here or some over excited SWAT guy shooting him. He had seen it happen before. They over react to sudden movement. Slowly Reid bent and dropped to his knees, and put his hands behind his head. He still held the cell tightly in his hand so he carefully and slowly placed it on the ground next to him, he hoped the girl got her phone back.

Reid was pushed face first into the damp grass and his hands pulled behind his back and cuffed. Been here before, he thought to himself as they dragged him to his feet and started to force him back to the cars and vans.

He was so tired of all of this. He just wanted it all to end. For them to realise it wasn't him and just let him go home and sleep in his own bed. They dragged him to the back of a black police van and restrained him into place in the back. Just as the doors closed on him he saw Morgan running in his direction. Too late again. They are always too late.


	30. Chapter 30 Interrogation

Interrogation 

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Again he was sitting behind a desk cuffed to the floor. Reid was still in the same filthy clothes he had been wearing from last time he was here. He looked tired and sick. Bloods had been taken for tox reports. The smell had been noted. The vile stench of death which surrounded him.

"So Dr Reid, where do we start? Can you tell us how you know Eddie Volondo?"

"I don't know Eddie Volondo."

"You left here with him two days ago."

"Only two days? It feels like much longer. Can I have some water please?"

"What can you tell me about what is going on here? You state you are innocent. Trust me when I say I want to believe you but you must say what's been going on."

Spencer thought for a while. "Do you know the TV show Stargate?" he asked.

The detective nodded, "What's this got to do with a TV show Dr Reid?"

"Daniel Jackson, he has died, well him and his clones and copies etc, he has died 12 times, maybe more. I missed a few episodes."

"And you are telling me this why?"

"I feel I have the Daniel Jackson Complex. I really don't think there is a person in living memory who has been abducted as many times as I have over the last few weeks or months or how ever the hell long it's been."

The detective still looked confused "I have been drugged and coerced and beaten and shot and bitten, and dragged and tied up. I have screamed and cried more times than I want to think about, I have had things done to me which I don't want to even think about. I have had my hair pulled, my mind dragged through a mire and now I want to rest. I have not killed anyone."

"So why did you kill Eddie Volondo?" and some pictures of the scene were put in front of Reid.

Reid picked up the pictures and looked at the carnage and sighed. "What do you want me to do? I have seen worse. This won't freak me out."

"Your fingerprints and DNA were found at the scene."

"I had been travelling in the car with him so that isn't really a surprise."

"Your blood was found at the scene."

"Yes that was probably from when he beat my unconscious don't you think?" Reid was getting annoyed with these people.

"Why would your lawyer have done that?"

"Well I guess he wasn't very good at his job."

"Stop the sarcasm Reid."

"Dr Reid."

"Pardon?"

"My name is Dr Reid."

Some more grim pictures were placed in front of Reid. "More victims."

"I don't know those people." And he pushed them quickly away from him. He was trying hard to bluff here. Sure he knew he hadn't killed these people but the bravado he was putting on wouldn't last much longer. He could already feel it seeping away from him.

"You have a problem with drugs Dr Reid." The detective pushed a cup of water over to Reid.

"No. I had a problem with them. Funnily enough that was after another time I was taken and someone tried to mess with my head. It was unsuccessful then too. I had drugs forced on me. It wasn't a life choice and I don't take drugs."

"That's a shame." Reid looked confused. "It would have explained these odd tox reports. Tell me Dr Reid, how long have you been cannibalistic?"

Reid's face went the colour of death. "Pardon?"

"Your urine test Reid. It had traces of some one else's DNA. Care to explain how? It would also have explained the needle marks on your arms Reid."

Spencer didn't bother correcting what they called him…he could feel everything slipping away. "Reid."

"I can't explain it. I told you, I have been drugged. I don't know what happened all the time and I am only guessing at what I think may have happened. But I have not been eating people." Memories suddenly shot into Spencer's mind of the lump of raw meat and the clotted blood in a bottle, and Reid was copiously sick all over the desk in front of him.

"Get this Freak out of here."

………

They stood in a huddle on the playing field and watched as Reid was taken away again. Morgan wanted to hit something.

"He is a mess Hotch." Prentiss said. She looked almost like she cared about Reid. "We have to get him out of that place."

Gideon shook his head and walked slowly back to the SUVs and Hotch followed. "He didn't put up a fight. That's good. That's in his favour." He said quietly.

JJ said nothing. She just stood with a small tear running down her face.

……..

Reid was put in a large cell with six other men in it. He did a quick scan but there was no Floyd. That was a good start. The other prisoners stood and looked at him. The staff didn't introduce him as an agent this time. They just said "Keep away from this freak. You really don't want to know what he's been up to."

But obviously they did want to know, but they didn't ask. No one ever asks…they just take. They all stood and looked at the pathetic looking skinny guy standing in front of them. He didn't look too well, and he stank. He definitely needed a hair wash and some TLC. A hair wash wasn't possible but getting him out of the stinking rotting clothes was, as was the tender loving care, though Reid didn't think it felt all that loving.

The bruises were noted by the other men. The obvious bullet wound was noted, and the jagged teeth marks were noted. They also saw the healing scars on this back and they wondered what this pretty skinny man must have done to someone else which was so bad, when all this had been done to him.

The morning found him half dressed and laying in a puddle where the others had decided he needed a hair wash after all. The smell was unbelievable. He just lay on the floor and shivered. He hadn't slept. He couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he was back in the pit. So he kept his eyes open, and just let them do what they wanted for the night. He could take this…he was strong enough. He knew what he was doing.

"Reid, get out here now." And slowly he got up and pulled his lovely orange clothes around himself and hobbled to the door. "You are going to court."

"I haven't been charged with anything." and the little muscle next to his eye twitched.

"Yes you have. Stupid for a genius, aren't you?"

"Those charges were dropped because of………"

"Because of your mental health, which seems to have recovered. It was also done under the coercion of that Volondo you then went and killed and probably ate."

They unlocked the doors and pulled Reid out. "Your lawyer wants to talk to you first." And they cuffed him hand and foot and led him down the corridor to the jeers and shouts of the other prisoners held there for the night. Reid was not going to let his mind slip. He had to keep it together. He tried not to limp and he tried not to look as pathetic as he felt. The pain was unbelievable. He just prayed the lawyer Hotch had sent, if this was someone Hotch had sent, knew what he was doing.

They directed him into a room and attached him to the floor. Why, they felt the need to do this he had no idea. He was hardly going to go running off when he could hardly walk. He slumped in the chair and looked at his fingers. His fingernails were broken and dirty. It looked like there was dried on blood around the nails and ground into his knuckles. He was still doing a fingernail inspection when a voice said quietly.

"You look a mess. How are you holding up?"

It was Hotch. Reid would have kissed him if he wasn't attached to the floor. He looked up and smiled. "Orange isn't really my colour. Hotch get me out of here." Stay calm, don't sound desperate.

"I am doing my best Reid. Hold in there for a bit longer OK? We haven't abandoned you. We are going to find who is doing this to you."

"Hotch." But he could feel his voice was going to crack and so his stopped and looked back down at his hands.

"It's a bail hearing Reid. I will sort this. If not today, then soon. One way or another I will sort this. We are on your side, don't you ever forget that."

Reid nodded. "I will get the charges dropped."

"Hotch, they found my DNA at the murder scenes and I had blood splatter pattern indicating I used that hammer."

"You don't need to worry about that. I will do that OK? You just worry about keeping your head together and your nose out of trouble. I will see about getting you something else to wear and maybe a shower before we go."

Reid nodded and Hotch got up. I will be right back OK. He didn't bother saying 'don't go anywhere'. Reid just sat and continued to look at his hands. When Hotch returned he had fresh kit and a towel and soap and was wearing sweats and t-shirt. The guard entered too and un-locked the cuffs. "Come with me." The guard said and the three of them went to the shower block. When they arrived the guard looked over at Hotch. "You need to go in with him. I don't want as suicide on my watch. I figure his boss don't want that either." The guard stood with his hand hovering over the gun holster. "Just don't do anything stupid. You have ten minutes."

Hotch said a quick thank you and entered the shower block with Reid.

………

Hotch guided Reid who was still finding it difficult to walk properly over to a corner shower and started to undo the orange kit. Reid just looked down at Hotch's hands and sighed.

"It's OK Reid I won't hurt you. Trust me here OK? We need you too look as clean as possible for court." And he quickly peeled Reid's filthy clothes off him. He tested the water and holding Reid so his back was to him walked slowly into the showers with him with his hands tightly on Spencer shoulders. Reid gasped as the warm water hit his hurting body, but stood and let it start to wash the filth off him.

"Reid, I will do your hair, you do the rest of you." And so the two men stood there under the warm water washing the smell of rotting bodies off his skin and hair. This was probably the most nurturing thing which had happened to Spencer since his mother stopped hugging him and he closed his eyes and took in every smell and every touch. Hotch got the dirt out of Reid's hair and then turned Reid around and washed the dirt carefully off his face. "It will be OK." Hotch turned off the water and passed Reid a towel. Hotch was soaked to the skin but that was fine. Spencer already looked more alive. "Get dry, get changed. I will be right over there." He indicated a dry area where he was going to strip off get dry and get back into his suit. "Call me if you need help"

"Thank you Aaron."

………


	31. Chapter 31 New Friend

New Friend

**A/N squiffy chapter…sorry.**

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine

Reid travelled with Hotch to court in the back of a van. He had been re-cuffed and secured. There were armed guards. Reid was beginning to worry. But hid it as much as he could from Hotch.

"You don't need to worry Spencer."

OK he was failing to hide that tiny bit of total panic from Hotch. He scratched at the marks on his arms.

"Spencer, what are they? Was he drugging you?"

Reid looked up at Aaron, "I don't think he was drugging me at this point Hotch. I don't know what they are." And he carried on picking and rubbing at them.

"If you go into court rubbing and scratching at your arms Reid…"

"I know." And he let out a big sigh. "When will this be over Hotch? I am so tired. I need to sleep – in a bed."

"Soon. Just hold it together for the next hour or so and we will get you home."

"I don't feel safe there. I don't want to go there." And he absent mindedly began to rub at his arms again.

Hotch leant forward and put his hand over Reid's. "Stop." And Reid pulled himself inward and almost seemed to disappear into himself.

…………

Finally he was sitting waiting for a decision. Hotch had been talking to who he needed to, and came back and sat with Reid. He didn't look happy, and Spencer's stomach heaved in panic

"Hotch, what's wrong?"

But Hotch just quickly glanced over at his agent and shook his head. "Nothing to worry about."

Reid's name was called, and everything went in a blur of horror. No bail. He sat unmoving looking at nothing, feeling nothing. "Hotch?"

Hands were pulling at him and dragging him away from where he had finally felt safe. "HOTCH!"

Shouting and jeering and pulling and he was gone. "No! This is wrong, you can't!" Reid shouted.

"Shut up you little shit." And he was dragged out and into the back of a van and secured again. This time he wasn't with Hotch though. He was with people he spent his days trying to catch and lock up.

……..

Gideon and Morgan were waiting outside the court for Hotch. They were expecting Reid too. Gideon looked alarmed and ran to Hotch whereas Morgan found a door to punch.

"What the hell happened? Where is Reid?" Jason demanded.

Hotch shook his head. "I didn't get a word in. Decisions were already made, so no bail. Gideon the results back from the lab, they were not good for Reid."

"Damnit!" Morgan's voice carried along the arched walkways. "Guy's we need to do the stake out."

"Reid?"

"Gideon, there is nothing we can do here. We have to get the evidence to get Reid out of that place. He's smart. He can cope."

Reluctantly they walked away and back to the SUVs they had arrived in. It was just afternoon, they had to get in place to see if Floyd turned up for his hair.

…

They waited in anger. Morgan was going to kill this guy if he got his hands on him, and that wasn't what they needed. They needed to stay focused and calm.

SWAT waiting in a different van awaiting orders.

"You realise they will kill him in there don't you?" Morgan suddenly blurted.

"Don't underestimate Reid." Hotch whispered back. "And stay calm. Getting angry and losing what we came for isn't going to help Reid."

He was right on time. The man with the hat and glasses walked down on the opposite side of the road. He looked calm and happy. He had with him a child of about eight with long blonde hair. She looked dirty and was dressed strangely but also seemed calm.

"Who's he got with him? Is that what I am fearing it might be?" Morgan was set to leap from the van

"Wait Morgan."

"Wait for what? You know what Reid is going through? We need that guy now, not in two weeks time. Not after he has seen us and disappeared."

When their target was directly in line with them they got out of the van. They signalled SWAT and pulled out guns.

"FBI! On your face Flanders!" Morgan shouted.

Floyd picked up the girl. They had thought he would use her as a shield but they were good enough shots to be able to avoid hitting the child and just getting their target. But he didn't hold her up to shield himself. He held her tightly to himself and walked slowly to the edge of the quiet road. He then hurled the child onto the ground. She made a strange popping slippery sound. If he thought this would in any way save him from this he was very wrong. What it did result in was SWAT opening fire on Floyd and blasting him with about twenty bullets. Floyd flew back onto the sidewalk and skidded along on his back. But he was still very much alive.

"NO!" Hotch shouted. "We need him alive!"

And they raced over the road to restrain him, and to see the mess left by the child on the road. Gideon stood and looked. It was a horribly familiar sight. It was as if he child had exploded. There was nothing left but blood and a few bits of hair and bone fragments.

………

Benson Mahoney was a big bloke. He had a cell on his own right now because the last guy he shared with had hung himself in the shower block. Or someone had hung him, either way Mahoney had a spare cot. A cot which would soon be filled by someone new. He had been warned. They came and told him half hour ago that someone would be sharing and to be nice. This new someone had friends with connections but he hadn't been told what friends and what connections. That was OK he would soon get that little bit of info out of him.

A still sore shocked and limping Reid was led down towards where was to be his new home for a while. Most inmates were out doing stuff in the gym, but Reid had been told his cell mate was waiting for him. To make him feel welcome. Oh joy Spencer couldn't wait.

He walked into the small room and dumped his things on the cot which was obviously his, as the other one had a giant of a bloke sitting on it starting at him.

He stood for a while as the door was locked behind him then turned to look at his new friend and sighed. This was so not going to be Spencer's idea of fun.

……………………………………………………..

**A/N Really struggling with this chapter. It's not flowing, and the computer keeps crashing. This seems to happen a lot when I am doing Reid/Scarecrow vid, which I am doing too….erm…doesn't crash for other vids though. Bit creepy…bit of freaky fun…going to stop this chapter here and see what you think…then I might delete it all and start again!!! oh joy!**


	32. Chapter 32 Getting to know Floyd

Getting to know Floyd 

Some questions answered

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine

Floyd sat in the interrogation room cuffed as Reid had been hands and feet to a ring in the floor. Hotch sat opposite him with his hands resting gently on the table.

"Flanders, good you could join us at last."

He didn't reply but stared right back into Hotch's eyes.

"I need you to explain to me just what you have against agent Reid. Where are you from Flanders? Who are you?"

He raised an eye brow and sighed. "I have nothing against Spencer. I have loved and cared for him. I have advised him and clothed him."

"He didn't look very cared for."

"Oh come on agent Hotchner, you can't put that on me. She did that stuff to him. I couldn't help that he was obsessed in a very unhealthy way with a small child. He let her do that to him. Couldn't you see they loved each other? They needed each other."

"Can we go back to the Where are you from question please?"

"Everywhere, nowhere. I travel. Or do you mean where was I born? I was born in Italy. Southern Italy. My family travelled over Europe ending up in England and then over here, where I have been for quite a while. I suppose you could call us gypsies if you need to tick a box. Does that answer your question agent Hotchner?

"Who are you?"

"Agent Hotchner you know who I am. Surely you mean 'What' am I? I am a toy maker. I make automatons. I use the flesh from living people to create them. I don't kill them Agent Hotchner. She did that, she un-wrapped them for me. I prevented her from doing too much damage to Spencer though. I didn't want him spoiled."

"Why Reid? What is about Reid you find so fascinating?"

"Oh wake up Agent Hotchner even Spencer managed to work that one out. Granted it took him a while, but he figured it out. We are alike, Reid and I."

"Alike? Explain."

"Agent Hotchner Reid and I both have remarkable brains. I am also a genius. I also have a mother who is schizophrenic. My father also left my mother when I was a child. We have both been mocked and ridiculed for who and what we are. I know how he thinks. He knows how I think. We are almost like one person. I love him and need him near me and I want to see him beg for my friendship, but then I hurt and feel like I have caged a piece of art, or a beautiful wild animal, so I release him. But I will always need him back again."

"How do you know all this about my agent? How do you know about his background?"

"My mother and his mother, they are both at Bennington. Well they were. My mother passed away a while ago. I still visit though. For the memories. I talk to his mother. She reminds me of the one I lost. She told me about Spencer. I read the letters he writes to her. I got his email address and started to contact him through the internet. I sent him puzzles to solve." And he smiled. "That was the beginning. I needed to see if I was able to manipulate him. I was. He was easy."

"Talk to me about the forest with the scarecrows." Hotch was still looking at Floyd directly in the eyes, but he could detect not falseness from him. This did seem to be the truth, at least the truth as Floyd knew it.

"Ah yes, I found that place by accident. I had been travelling, as I do, and found a scarecrow at the side of the road – you know Agent Hotchner – hanging from a tree. It inspired me so! I found the dwelling in the clearing, but there was something very strange about that place. The whole area. Did you feel the strangeness Agent Hotchner?"

He nodded slowly "Tell me what you felt."

"Well Agent Hotchner you see I wasn't sure what I was feeling. When I walked in the woods I began to feel dizzy and disorientated. The smell was wrong, so being a scientist I set up a small lab and investigated. The land it seems is poisonous. Gasses leaking from far under it. I am not sure it is lethal, but definitely leaves you open to suggestion. So I place a small amount of stuff around. Things like carvings on the trees, but it's subtle and I doubt if consciously they are even seen. With the gasses and the messages, people kept away and I was able to practice making my toys."

"Tell me about the princess, as you call her."

"She was my success story. She was my creation. She was wonderful, and I loved her as I would a daughter. She loved Spencer like she would a dog. She wasn't gentle with animals, and she wasn't gentle with Spencer. A shame really. She was held together by the belief that Spencer adored her and would protect her forever. When she saw Spencer and Gideon together that night, the love failed, and she – well I suppose she popped."

"Your creation? What do you mean by held together by adoration? I don't understand quite what you mean."

Floyd smiled. "Agent Hotchner I would expect you to understand. You are not a genius."

"How are you able to leave evidence at crime scenes to implicate Reid yet never leave anything of yourself behind?"

"Easy – I leave my DNA behind, you just have nothing to compare it with yet in your computers. I am sure if you search now you will find me there. Or maybe not. Leaving bits of Spencer there was a game. I manipulate people remember? I tell them where and when to do things, and they oblige me wonderfully."

This was all they needed to at least prove Reid hadn't been on a killing rampage.

"One more thing for now. How did you get into the police cell with Reid?"

"Police cell? I didn't. Poor boy, I was this close" he indicted with finger and thumb "To breaking him. Oh so close. It would have been good to have a friend. He is perfect. His mind is going but no one else will do. I need him back. Is he here? Can I see him?"

Hotch stood up. "Interview over for now Floyd." And he walked out of the room.

The others were standing outside where they had been listening to everything.

"An awful lot of awful things can be read into what that – man was saying." Gideon said. "I think Reid went through more than he told us. Maybe more than he wants to remember. We can get some charges dropped with that lot though."

"Yes some, but not all. We need him to confess to killing the delivery man and Eddie Volondo. Without that we are stuck. There is also the sticky question over those tox reports."

Morgan stood and looked through the one way window. Floyd looked up and stared right back and winked. Derek pulled himself away. "You are not going to tell me you believe Reid has been eating children are you?"

"No Derek." Hotch sounded very tired. "I am sure the answer to that question is sitting in that room. I want him to get bored with us and I want him to stop calling me Agent Hotchner. There is something I don't like about it. It's almost threatening. I need to check up on Hailey and Jack" and he walked off.

…………

"So what are you in for pretty boy?"

Reid fiddled nervously with a bit of paper. "I am innocent." He said quietly.

"Didn't ask that though did I? What's you been accused of?"

"Things I didn't do." Reid looked over at the man sitting opposite him. He was huge, but somehow didn't feel threatening. Reid watched him for a while. Time for a mini profile to detect if he was safe or not. Prison Tattoos. Probably he had spent a long time inside. He noted the different designs designating different prisons. He noted a faded band on his ring finger. There didn't seem to be loads of scars, and he seemed to have most of his teeth and both eyes.

Reid didn't think Mahoney was going to jump him and smack him around. Not yet anyway.

"What about – what about you? Why are your h h here?" damn his stuttering!

"I'm here for something you didn't do." And he grinned.

Then something cleared in Reid's mind and the reports and newspaper stories suddenly flooded his mind. "Oh Mahoney, you erm – you killed your wife, then committed arson to cover it up. Your forth marriage. You had two children both deceased. One died in a fatal car accident three years before you murdered your wife, a boy, and a daughter died shortly after birth. She had a heart defect." He suddenly stopped when he saw that Mahoney had stood up and was staring down at him.

"Who told you that shit!"! he demanded.

"I erm – I read it."

"You read it where?" and Mahoney ripped the paper Reid was holding out of his hands to see what he had been reading. It was however just a scrap of paper with a telephone number on it.

"Oh erm – I read it in the Washington Times. A couple of years ago."

"And you remember?" He threw the paper on the floor and Reid watched it fall. It had been handed to him when he was being processed. He had no idea who's number it was.

"I have an eidetic memory. I remember things."

"OK…so you know why I am here. Now tell me why you are."

Reid's eyebrows twitched. "I said. For something I didn't do."

"Great, what didn't you do?"

"I didn't murder a man in cold blood with a hammer. I didn't slaughter my lawyer and carve him up into bits, and I didn't eat any children."

Mahoney just stood and looked at the inoffensive looking man who had just said he was here for cannibalism.

………..


	33. Chapter 33 Mahoney

Mahoney

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine.

Reid still sat and looked up at the man.

"I didn't do it you know." He said again

The big guy sat down his eyes huge just watching this strange thing he was going to have to cell share with. Reid scratched at the bumps raising on him arms. He looked down to see that what had started as small pin pricks was now raised red lumps going blue and bruised around the edges. He looked at them still not knowing what it was.

"What's wrong with your arms? You a junky too?"

"What? – oh no. No. I don't know what it is." He could feel his face flush.

"Well it sure looks like you've been sticking needles in yourself."

Sudden flash backs of a time when he could have made this all go away. He could feel the needle prick his skin and the venom passing through into his blood, and into his brain. Yes he could make this all go away. He sighed and rubbed hard at his temples.

"I can arrange to get you something. For a fee." Mahoney offered.

"No thank you."

"I can't arrange any kids for you to eat though. A few pills is easy enough." He was grinning.

"No thank you. It's not amusing you know. I don't know what you are smiling at."

"You are a strange person. Number 1188, who are you? Why do they say you did that stuff if you didn't?"

"It's a long story. Too long. I suppose I was set up."

"Who are you? What is special about you?" Mahoney looked curious.

"I'm not special." And Reid bent down and picked up the bit of paper and began to fiddle with it.

"You are evading my questions. Who are you? What are you? Why did they want me to make sure you're settled? To make sure you stayed safe?" He cracked his knuckles.

"I don't know why you were asked to do that."

Mahoney leaned right forward and took the paper from Reid again. "And what's this? Who's number?"

Reid frowned and reached over at the pile of things on his bed. He grabbed his glasses and put them on and took the paper back again. Mahoney sat with his mouth open.

"What the hell? Take those off!"

"I I n n need them."

"Boy – in here the last thing you want on your face is those. Believe me."

"I am sorry, but I never asked you to be here and settle me in. I would rather be left alone and I have no idea whose phone number that is."

Mahoney got up again and started to pace the small room. "Are you a cop?"

Reid's head shot up and his eyes went big. "Why – why do you think I am a c c cop?"

"Cos you need protection. Cos you wont tell me who you are. Cos you are evading every question I ask, and because you knew me."

"Oh." And Reid just sat and looked across at his roomie.

"Oh? Is that all? Then you are a cop or something?"

"I don't need protection. I am not a child. I am not stupid. I am aware of the situation I am in."

Mahoney laughed. "You are aware of the situation! Champion, I will leave you to it then." And Mahoney went back to sitting on his bed. "The word will be out before we are let out of here for dinner. Are you aware of that too?"

"What word?" And Spencer was now digging what was left of his nails into his itching burning skin.

"That you are cop." And he picked up a book and started to read.

"I didn't say I was."

"You didn't say you weren't either."

"OK if it will make you happy. I am not a cop."

"Nope, doesn't make me happy, because I have gone from thinking you are a bent child eating murdering cop, to a crap undercover cop. Either way you're buggered."

……………

Hotch returned to the interview room. Flanders watched him enter the room and put a cup of water on the table.

"Now tell me about the delivery man at Reid's apartment."

"Don't know about a delivery man." He smiled.

"Tell me what happened to Eddie Volondo."

"Oh I know what happened to Eddie. Your agent killed him. Cut him in to tiny pieces and then ate bits of him. Was that the answer you were looking for?"

……………

The cell door swung open and a guard stood there. "Mahoney, take the newbie down for food."

"I I d d d don't want f f food."

He was ignored as Mahoney grabbed Reid by the arm and pulled him out of the cell onto the landing. "You have to eat. Get this over with. It won't be so hard next time and I still advise you take those off your face, and stop stuttering. Keep your mouth shut. I will talk for you."

"I don't – don't need your h h help" he stammered.

"Yes you do cop boy."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Stop lying to me then cop boy."

Reid turned to go back to the cell but the door had been shut and locked behind him.

"I am not lying to you." He hissed back. "Just stop calling me that." And he scratched at the marks on his arms.

"Stop doing that too, you are such a target boy. Stop fiddling, take off the glasses, follow me." Reid kept his glasses on but followed keeping his eyes down.

"I can't see without them." He mumbled.

"Have it your own way. Whoever you are." And the two of them walked to the refectory.

People come and go all the time in a place like this. New faces every day but there was something different about this new face. This one didn't look like a thug or a murderer – whatever they look like. This one looked like a skinny nervous young man. Something interesting and something different. The prison uniform was orange and not very flattering to Reid's skinny frame. He walked keeping his head down, and avoiding looking at anyone.

Mahoney suddenly stopped and turned around.

"What the hell? You look like a girl. Do something with that hair. Everyone is staring and you still got the glasses on!" Reid looked up to see half the guys in the refectory staring straight at him - so much for inconspicuous. His hands started to wander back to his sore arms, but they got slapped away by Mahoney.

"OK don't say anything. Don't talk to anyone. I will do the talking for you."

Reid gave a little nod and stuffed his hands deeply into his pockets.

A big heavily tattooed bloke wandered over with his little posse of rat like goons behind him. Reid stepped quickly behind Mahoney.

"What have you got hiding behind your back Mahoney?" He said in rough dirty accent.

"You don't need to know everything."

"A pretty boy?"

Reid spluttered and coughed. "Excuse me. Pretty boy?"

Mahoney was pushed out of the way so they could get a better look at this enigma. Reid stood and looked at the mans feet.

A hand grabbed Reid's chin and his head was pulled up so he was looking the man in the eyes. "Nice and who are you then?" The fingers were squeezing Reid's chin. Reid slowly reached up and took the man by the wrist.

"Let go of me." And he tried to pull the hand away.

"Oh a feisty one! Good - good. Something to amuse ourselves with." The big bloke said.

Mahoney stepped in to say or do something.

"It's OK Mahoney I can take care of this." Then to the man who still had his hand on Reid's chin. "I said let go of me." And Reid slapped the man's hand away.

"You are going to regret that later little boy." The big guy said, and swiped at Reid's glasses. "I want to see your eyes." The glasses flew through the air and landed on the floor where some helpful chap crushed them underfoot. At least Mahoney will stop moaning about them now.

Mahoney grabbed Reid and pointed him back to the food counter. "Leave him alone Jacks. This one is mine. We are getting food, sitting down and eating and you will leave us alone."

Jacks backed off slightly but was still looking at Reid who turned quickly and walked to the food counter. Lucky for Reid nothing else exciting happened and he pushed food around his plate and scratched at the marks on his arms.

He drank what they had said was coffee but obviously someone deranged had made it. It tasted of nothing. Worse thank cop shop coffee. Reid fiddled with his fingers and food and coffee cup. Anything to avoid looking around himself and seeing where he was and it was around about now that things went from quite bad to very much worse.

"Agent Reid?" said a small voice from next to him. "It is you isn't it? I recognise you from the news. Aren't you the FBI agent who went on a killing rampage?" The man whispered, but all eyes were on them.

……………….


	34. Chapter 34 Love

Love

Disclaimer: Criminal mind is not mine. 

"I want to see Spencer." Floyd announced. "Until I see him I refuse to talk to you. I might even ask for a lawyer." He sipped at the water.

"That's not going to happen Flanders. You need to tell us what you did and why. Then we will talk about your needs." Hotch said.

"Impasse then. I wont talk unless my boy is here." He crushed the paper cup in his hand spilling the rest of the water. "You will never know what I did to him. I don't know if he even realises everything I did to him. Bring him to me. I will tell him. I am bored of you."

"Wont happen Flanders. Talk to me about the delivery man. What happened that day."

Floyd shrugged. "No idea what you are talking about. Well I do sorta cos it was in the news and stuff. But that had nothing to do with me. I was a long way from there that day. No – my boy did that all on his own."

"How did he get human DNA in his system?"

"He ate someone. Well bits of someone, oh and the other stuff too. That worked well, but I would like to see if it worked properly." He smiled at Hotch "How's the family? Cute kid you have there." He licked his lips. "Now I stop talking until you get my boy here."

"What other stuff?" but he just sat and looked at Hotch

"Nice hair cut. Where do you go?"

…………..

"Sorry, you have the wrong person." He hissed back

"No I don't think so. I would remember those creepy eyes anywhere. They are saying you killed your lawyer."

"You have the wrong person."

Mahoney got up and grabbed Reid by one arm and took hold of the other man and moved them quickly out of earshot.

Reid was looking very alarmed that someone recognised him, but pulled away. "Get off me! I can deal with this. Why do people treat me like I am a child!"

Mahoney and the other inmate Hayden stood and watched in silence as Reid walked back into the refectory.

"I give them half hour at the most."

"They won't need that long."

…………

Two hours later Mahoney went to shower. Reid was curled up in the corner. He sighed and carefully approached. "Kid? You OK? You still alright dealing with this alone? Or are you ready to accept some help?"

Reid turned his face to look at the big man standing over him. "You knew – you knew who I was and you let them do this to me?"

"Yes. You wouldn't listen to me Reid, I tried to help."

"How do you know my name?" he whispered.

"The whole place knows now. Agent Reid. FBI accused of double homicide. No mention of cannibalism."

"Oh well suddenly things are looking rosy aren't they?"

"Are you going to be alright?" Mahoney bent down to help Reid up.

"Look at me, do I look alright? Don't answer that. This isn't new to me. I can deal with it."

Mahoney nodded and gave Spencer space to get up and pull his clothes back around himself. This was beginning to become a habit. He thought of different humorous tattoos he could have done.

"Why is this funny Reid?"

"You know something, I haven't slept a real sleep in for so long I can't remember. I just want to sleep without drugs or a beating…I want to lay down and sleep."

"Reid leave your arms alone!" They were bleeding where he had been digging his nails into his skin

…………

"What other stuff?"

"I am sorry Agent Hotchner but I really insist on seeing Spencer now. I have answered questions, I have done what you asked, I haven't even insisted on a lawyer. Get me Spencer and I will show you what I did."

"I can't do that Flanders."

"I need a smoke do you object?" And he looked down at the pocket where he would normally have his cheroot supply.

Hotch shook his head.

"The thing is this. I wasn't going to tell you this, I wanted it to be a surprise, but you will find out soon. I am amazed he hasn't said anything to you already." He stared right into Hotch's soul. "He's not here. Where is he? You will need to get him to me. I will need to see so I can help."

"We don't need to talk about Reid right now. I want to talk about you."

Gideon walked into the room and stood next to the chair Hotch was sitting in. "Phone call, you need to take it. I will have a chat with Mr Flanders."

So the two men swapped places for a while.

Gideon passed over a mug of coffee. "I thought you might want this. Sugar?"

"I need to talk to Spencer."

"OK..later, right now I need to talk about you. Floyd, can I call you Floyd?"

"Call me whatever, I don't mind. I do need to see Spencer." Floyd was beginning to look agitated.

"You have an obsession with my agent Floyd. What is it about him? I know what you said earlier, about his mother, but we also know that was a lie."

"What? No it wasn't. What are you accusing me of Gideon?"

"I am calling you a liar Floyd. You are good at it and I don't think you even realise sometimes that you are doing it. But you do. You know that don't you."

"Shut your mouth!" Floyd was looking pissed off now. The normal smile had left his face.

"You want to see Spencer?" Gideon was staying quiet voiced and calm.

"You know I do. I love him. I need to see him"

"No you don't. You are incapable of love. You have never loved or been loved, have you Floyd." He put his hands on the table. "You use and abuse people, and keep them against their will, but Floyd, that is not love."

"You don't know what I am feeling. You know nothing." and Floyd spat at Gideon.

"Tell me about the delivery man and Eddie Volondo." Gideon wiped the spit off his face with the back of his hand, showing no shock of concern.

"I told you. I know only what has been reported. Get me Spencer. I need to check his arms."

Gideon still didn't let the look on his face change even though inside he was beginning to get very worried.

"He is unavailable. He is being held for two murders Floyd. Two murders you know he didn't do. I know he didn't do."

"NO! I need him here. I need to see him!"

"Well to do that we need to know who killed the men he is being accused of killing. Any ideas Floyd?"

Floyd slowly shook his head and he rubbed angrily at his eyes. "I need to see him." And his voice was very quiet, almost a whisper.

…………

At last Reid was able to lay on his bed. The door had been locked on them. He changed into something dry and he piled his things up off his bed, and finally lay down to sleep.

He was running through the forest, and something was chasing him. Something with too many sharp teeth. The thing was laughing and occasionally snagging at his clothing. He was stumbling and falling. He knew in his dream that he had to get there to save her, to protect her, but at the same time he had to get away from her. He could feel her tearing at his back and ripping at his shoulder. He could feel his mind slipping and the ground giving way beneath him. He cried out and grabbed at things as he was sucked down into the mud, and there was Floyd and Eddie pushing him down so he was drowning in the mud and his princess, his beautiful princess straddled him and licked hungrily at Reid's neck.

Suddenly hands were pulling him out of the mud. Hard unloving hands. He was being dragged away from Floyd and his princess and he flailed and punched out at what I was taking him away.

"Hey wake up" Someone was shouting.

Reid suddenly opened his eyes. He was still in his cell, but was laying on the floor with Mahoney standing over him.

"That was one hell of a nightmare you were having there kid."

Reid sat up and looked around him. "Why am I on the floor?"

"You threw yourself there mate. Get back into bed will you?" And Reid lifted his tired and hurting body back into bed and curled up. He felt the movement on the mattress as someone sat down on his bed. "Just this once OK, cos ya a newbie." And Mahoney laid down next to Reid on his cot and gently put his arms around him. "Now sleep. It's ok. I won't hurt you."

And Reid sighed and closed his eyes, and accepted the comfort.

………..


	35. Chapter 35 Pustules

Pustules

_Agent Aaron Hotchner once said: Define love._

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine

When Reid woke up Mahoney was still there holding him and for a brief second he felt safe and then felt really uncomfortable and embarrassed that he had needed the comfort of a man again to enable himself to sleep. He didn't want to move though. He wanted this moment of peace and calm to last forever as he remembered all the times his father had held him and how his father had loved him. Until the day he left when his father could hardly even look at him, and didn't even kiss him goodbye and left him with a mother incapable of showing affection unless it was through a book. There was nothing wrong in this sort of comfort though.

He thought to the time Hotch held him after they found him with the body of Tobias. He didn't want to let go. Then JJ holding him for so long and the feelings of need and never wanting her to let go.

He thought to the vials he took from Tobias and how good they would feel in his hands right now. He would show them again he couldn't be tempted. Floyd had tried. He was so far beyond that now, but to have those bottles in his hands would feel comforting. In a strange way. In the way that everything was so far out of Spencer's control now that just something small like that he could regain his control and prove he was strong.

He glanced down to where for a long time he had been sliding in the cool needle. His eyes grew wide.

"Mahoney are you awake?"

"Sure what's wrong?"

"Well two things really. Can you erm – you know go back to your own cot? And I think I need to visit the infirmary." Mahoney pulled his arms slowly away from Spencer.

"Why the infirmary? What's wrong?" Mahoney slid off the cot and knelt on the floor. "What's wrong? Are you ill?"

Reid rolled over and showed Mahoney his arms. What had started as little pin prick marks were now huge festering pustules. He had been scratching at them in his sleep and made some of them ooze and bleed and as he looked at them Reid's arms started to shake and his whole body followed into some kind of weird seizure. Spencer' eyes locked with Mahoney's in a plea for help. Again.

Mahoney jumped up and pressed a button on the wall. He then quickly pulled the covers back on his bed to make it look slept in.

He was kneeling by Reid's bed when the guards unlocked the big door and came in.

"What's wrong with him?" The weasel asked.

"What the hell does it look like is wrong with him! He's dying or something." The guard just stared for a minute then pressed his emergency medic call button on his belt.

"Is he breathing? What did he take? MEDIC!" he shouted out along the walkway.

"Christ I don't know! I was asleep. I don't think he took anything though. Those things had started on his arms yesterday. They were here before he came to us. Do something to help him for christ's sake!" Mahoney as a veteran inmate knew better not to touch Reid at this point. He didn't need the murder of another cell mate on his shoulders.

…..

Reid could feel his body shaking and his mind twisting. He felt like the world was being dragged down a very small tube but couldn't quite fit. He could see what has happening which wasn't a lot. Mahoney just looking at him. A guard shouting to get a medic quickly and pulling at him and pushing at him, and his eyes locked on Mahoney again asking him to make it stop. He felt like his heart was going to crack open his breast bone and escape. He felt too hot and the pains in his stomach and areas where his glands clustered screamed out in pain. There was a sudden realisation that this was something which happened when he was alone with Floyd. What the hell had he done? What the hell had been in or on what made those pin pricks on his arms? He had to tell them who did this to him and who can tell them what it is. He took huge gasping breaths which felt like the last ones he would ever take. And finally he could get enough air into his lungs to shout.

"FLOYD I need Floyd!"

………….

Floyd was still sitting at the table. Gideon was still talking to him. Hotch had been called away for the phone again. This man fascinated Gideon. He had never met anyone quite like him. He was in so many ways the classic sociopath, but yet he was declaring his undying love for Reid. Yes he knew this wasn't a real love but one born from madness and obsession but they still didn't really know how he knew about Reid. What had originally drawn him to Spencer, and why he kept taking him then releasing him?

"I wanted to mount him." Floyd suddenly said. "You know – like a butterfly. Keep him forever perfect. I know you don't believe me. I know what you think of me Agent Jason Gideon. I loved him. I still do love him."

"You have no concept of the feeling of love Flanders. I need you to talk to me about Volondo"

"We don't have time." And Floyd was smirking. "You WILL take me to him."

Jason ignored him. "Eddie Volondo, Floyd. Talk to me about him. Did you love him too?"

"Oh please. He was a pawn. I just used him. Very easy it was too. A man with a weak mind and a small delicate family. I just crushed them and took what was left for my pleasure but the end gain was always to bring Spence back to me. The fun is in the hunt. The joy is in the planning and the collecting. Don't you think Agent Jason Gideon? Do you not get pleasure from hunting people down, from doing your little profiles, and catching the bad guy? Did you not get that excited tingle when your men tried to shoot me? Do you not look at me as the prize at the end of the hunt? Something tasty. Something to nibble on later? Do you not look forwards to the next hunt?"

"No I don't. Now tell me about Volondo." And Jason stared back at Floyd with a feeling of total contempt and revulsion.

"No. I will sit and chat with you but until you let me see Spence I will not talk about the murders. You will be needing me soon though. You will be begging me for help and if I have not had from this that which I am requesting you will get nothing, and he will be dead. Please believe me. I suppose the bright light there will be that I can stuff my toy and mount him where I want." And he sat and grinned.

Aaron walked quickly into the room. "Gideon, a minute please." Jason got up and followed Hotch.

"What's happened?" Jason could tell by the way Morgan was swearing and kicking the waste paper basket that something new had happened.

"Reid has been rushed to hospital. They don't know what's going on, but it seems to be organ failure. They said he has been injected with something. The injection sites have become infected. Blood poisoning and a huge anaphylactic reaction to something unknown."

"Goddam it! The bastard, let me interrogate him Gideon" shouted Morgan.

"Morgan and I will go and talk to Reid's cell mate and the guards involved. Someone needs to stay here. Prentiss get over to the hospital. Demand to see him. JJ you too. Keep it out of the media. Get that 'thing' down to the cells. I don't want him hearing about this. Jason you with JJ and Prentiss."

And Aaron ran from the office to get an SUV. Morgan drove. Morgan drove too fast and too erratically. Eventually Hotch told him to pull over and sit in the back or something.

The others went to the hospital to see what was going on.

Floyd walked calmly down to the cell they had waiting for him. They were forbidden to talk to Floyd or take anything from him or to give him anything. They slammed the door on him and his grin.

………

At the prison Morgan and Hotch went to talk to Mahoney.

They all sat in a small grey room with a guard standing at the door. Hotch motioned for the man to leave. "I will be outside." And he left the three of them.

The two agents sat down and took in Mahoney. "What can you tell us?"

"Are you friends? Colleagues?" he asked

"Does it matter?"

"It matters in the way I answer your questions and how sensitive you are going to get when I tell you what I know. What do you want to know anyway?"

Morgan stood up again and stood by the door, arms crossed. Hotch looked Mahoney in the eye. "We are FBI agents Mahoney. You won't shock us. I can promise you that. I need to know everything. From the moment he arrived to the moment he left. Everything you saw him do and everything you suspect he might have done."

Mahoney raised an eyebrow at Hotch. "You are not friends then. Fine. I was told a newbie was arriving, and that he needed special attention. Protection as such. I was told to show him around and keep him out of trouble. This isn't unusual you know. If the guards are sympathetic towards someone they will bunk them with someone like me. No one really messes with me and I stay out of trouble if I can. So he arrives, and I try to tell him to stop scratching at his track marks and to take off the glasses"

"Track marks?"

"Yeah constantly rubbing and scratching at his arms. Well he knew best and the guys gave him a welcome in the showers later."

"A welcome?"

"It happens to everyone. People like him just need a bit more force. He probably resisted their charms so he got a bit roughed around. Nothing bad but his arms were looking really bad and he was scratching and stuff. Last night he had a nightmare. Screaming in his sleep." Morgan nodded. They all knew Reid had nightmares sometimes. "I comforted him and he went back to sleep." And Mahoney sighed when he saw the alarmed looks on the agents faces. "In the morning his arms were a mess, and he had a weird seizure thing." That's the lot.

"Why was the seizure weird?"

"He kept eye contact with me, like he was trying to say something but couldn't. Then he called out someone's name. Floyd, he said he needed Floyd. Whoever that is." Hotch got up and took something from his pocket.

"Thank you." And he slid a pack of cigarettes across the table. "Thank you for looking after him."

Mahoney smiled at them "Pleasure was all mine. I hope he will be OK."

And the two men left.

……………..

At the hospital they were told there couldn't see Reid. He was under guard. His condition was not there business. They may as well go home.

JJ stepped into action.

"Please, just a little bit of information. We are his friends and his team members. We need to know what happened so we can continue with the case. He has vital information we need. Just two minutes is all we are asking." And she did her beautiful award winning JJ smile.

"Lady, he can't talk to anyone right now. So just go home OK?" The doctor walked off but JJ was about an inch behind him.

"I am agent Jereau. You will let us in to see the 'prisoner'."

"Fine! I will give you some information if it means you will go away and stop hassling me."

JJ's eyebrows did a little dance and she smiled at the doctor. "Thank you. Please tell us what is going on."

"He is on oxygen because of his erratic breathing . His heart has stopped three times. His kidneys are failing. He is hardly alive and we don't know why. He is however awake and asking to see someone."

"You said he cant talk to anyone right now and now you are saying he is asking for someone? Who is he asking for?"

"He is delirious. He is not answering questions, and his words are the same repeated over and over. I need Floyd. We still don't know who Floyd is."

JJ looked over at Gideon and Prentiss.

The doctor took in the looks. "You know who this Floyd is? If you do I think you should get him here before it's too late."

……….

Floyd sat on the cot in the tiny cell he was in and picked things out of his matted hair.

"I will be with you soon Spence, hold in there a little longer my sweet."


	36. Chapter 36 Here I Come  The Visit

Here I Come – The Visit

**A/N Thank you to everyone who is still with me on this story……you are all amazing!!! I feel loved…or reviled. Not sure which :c)**

_Floyd Flanders once said: Watch out here I come!_

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is not mine: unfortunately Floyd Flanders is.

They slammed open the door to Floyds room.

"Strip" Morgan commanded.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Strip, or I will do it for you. You have a choice."

"Go away you silly little man, and get your boss. I am not stripping for you. I am not stripping for anyone."

With guns pointed at Flanders face Morgan moved in and grabbed the front of his shirt in his hand. "Strip or I will do it for you. Last chance." And he let go pushing Floyd against the wall.

Slowly Floyd unbuttoned the front of his shirt. "Is he in pain?"

"Shut your mouth and do what I told you."

Flanders smiled. "Is he asking for me?" And still slowly he was undoing his shirt.

"I am so going to slap you around if you don't get a move on."

"No you won't. Spence is asking for me, and I will go to him. He won't want to see me broken."

Morgan was on Floyd in a flash with his hands pulling his shirt off. "Mind how you go now. I might start to enjoy this."

Derek ripped off the shirt and just stood and stared at Flanders. "What the hell is that?"

Floyd looked down at his chest. "Its protection. Against you and your thugs. I suppose you require I remove it?"

He was wearing a very tight fitting vest. Morgan couldn't immediately work out what it was made of but his stomach turned as he thought of the other macabre things Floyd had made. Flanders looked over to Morgan as he undid small a fastening at his side.

"Bone and skin. I think you will find I even have little bits of my dear Spencer wrapped around parts of it. Very light-weight and flexible, and stops most weapons. Though I must admit I wasn't sure about all that crap the SWAT babes fired at me. I have bruises though. Come closer and feel them, they are bumped up. It did hurt a bit." And he dropped the weird contraption to the floor. "Breast bone mainly." He added.

Morgan continued to stare at the man in front of him. His body was covered in a criss-cross of scars. Floyd looked down at himself. "I know, it took a while to perfect, and they do wear out." His inner arms were covered in scars from cutting. Some looked new and open. Others looked very old. Floyd started to undo the button fly on his jeans. "I will need some help with the boots." And he sat down on the plastic chair and proffered his foot to Morgan.

Morgan just shook his head so Floyd just kicked them off easily. A pair of white boxers were thrown over to him. "Strip off and put those on. You are going to have a shower"

"I don't wash. Thank you for the offer though but we are wasting time here."

"Man I can tell you don't wash. This is why you are going to shower. Then you will get something comfy to wear. Move it. If you messing me around puts Reid in any more danger I will happily spend time in the slammer for man one."

Flanders was then cuffed hands and feet. "You are being charged with endangerment of a federal agent. Thought you would like to know that. You are going nowhere anytime soon Flanders. I will surely see to that." And he was pushed under the slightly too hot water.

Bits…bits came out of his hair. Bits of things they didn't want to think about. Occasionally Flanders took one of the bits and slipped it into his mouth. He was still smiling. How Morgan wished he could wipe that smug grin of this face.

"Wash your hair." And he threw soap at him.

"Sure agent Derek Morgan if you will do my back for me. Spence will be wanting me so much by now. Are you sure you want to waste time doing this?"

"Just shut up and wash you son of a bitch."

Floyd stood under the water. It was burning his skin but he wasn't going to let that thing see it was painful. How many times had Derek touched his Spencer. How many times had they sat and chatted as friends do. He should have removed Morgan a long time ago, but knew now he was so fixated on his Spence that too many mistakes had been made. He did need to get to his boy soon though. Before it was too late. How long had it been now? He wasn't totally sure. Time has such a habit of slipping away from you when you are having such fun. And this had been fun. Until now. And Morgan will pay for this. Morgan will feel his fury. Just not yet. First he needed to be Spencer's saviour.

…………..

Gideon was finally permitted to see Reid. Armed guards stood at the door. Too many times, Gideon was thinking. Too much. How much more could Reid take?

Spencer could see Jason standing looking at him, but he couldn't talk. Even the thought of talking made him feel ill. The lights were dimmed, but Spencer's fevered brain was telling him it was too bright. He squinted at his mentor and tried to send him his thoughts. "Help me Jason. Get Floyd." His lips were dry and cracked. Gideon took a tube of cream from the side and gently rubbed some over Spencer's swollen mouth.

"It's going to be ok Spencer. We are getting help."

Gideon felt Reid's fingers touch his hand and saw his lips move slightly. He was trying to tell him something. Jason leant forwards to hear what the man he thought of as a son was trying to tell him.

"Floyd." Was all he heard. And it made tears well up in Gideon's eyes. All this pain and he still wanted to see that man.

That man who was arriving soon. He didn't want him here, but Reid's condition was getting worse and they still had no idea what was causing it. About every five minutes Spencer started to shake so violently that they had to put the sides up on his bed. The wounds on his arms were open and full of a foul smelling puss and tears of pain ran down his white face. The skin on his neck was cracking and bleeding. His joints were now beginning to turn swollen and red. The sudden quick movement in the doorway made Gideon jump. He turned to see who it was. At first he didn't recognise him. With his hair washed it was lighter in colour and very wavy. His skin was paler without the dirt and other filth all over it. He was staring at the bed.

"You are all fools!" and he walked in wearing sweats and a hoody, still in his cuffs. His dark eyes swept over Gideon. "Why have you only just called me? This has gone much further than I intended."

"Called earlier. You have a curious way of making yourself look like the innocent one here. What have you done to him?"

Floyd leaned over the bed. "It's OK Spence, I am here now." And he turned to Gideon. "You need to make an anti toxin. Get me paper and pen. I will give you a formula. You have left this too long though."

As Gideon reached for paper, Floyd reached for Spencer. He gently touched his face with the tips of his fingers. "It's OK. I am here now. They can't hurt you when I am here." and he leaned forwards until their lips were nearly touching. "Talk to me."

And a hand grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him away. "Touch him again and I will cut your hands off." Morgan said.

"Has anyone ever told you how dangerously annoying you are?" Floyd spat at him. "Touch me again and I will let him die."

Gideon passed him paper and a pen. "Sit and write. You are not here as a guest and you know full well you wont let him die."

"I will need a syringe, and scalpel." And he snatched the pen off Jason.

"What for?" And Jason looked over to Reid.

"For samples. You can't make the anti toxin without samples." Floyd pulled a 'good god haven't you realised this yet' face "I injected him with a mix of fluids from different sources. I wanted to see what would happen if I introduced my DNA to Spencer."

Morgan looked over at Spencer and then to Floyd. "You are totally deranged! You are sick, but man, his body rejected you."

"He doesn't always reject me! I love him. I have always loved him. I need …………." And Derek kicked him squarely in the face as he took the anti toxin formula from his hand.

"There you go…blood….no need for a syringe." And Morgan kicked him again.

"Get that creep out of here before he wakes up and Morgan, you can stop kicking him now." Jason turned back to Spencer. "It's OK Reid, I understand what you mean. Everything is going to be fine.

Floyd made a moaning squelching sound as Morgan dragged him from the room.

…………….


	37. Chapter 37 The Beginning Of The End

The Beginning Of The End

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine. Floyd Flanders is.

_Floyd Flanders once said: The biggest disappointments in life are always your self. But then again he was a liar!_

Floyd was dragged laughing from the hospital and back into a van where he was secured and guarded. His nose was blooded and his sides hurt from where Morgan had kicked him good few times, but he was still laughing.

The samples taken rather roughly by Morgan were rushed down to the labs along with the stuff Flanders had written down.

Hotch stood and looked at Reid twitching in his bed.

"What if this is all a trick Gideon."

Gideon shook his head. "He was shocked when he saw the state Reid was in. He needs Spencer. If this doesn't work it won't be because Flanders doesn't want it to."

Gideon took a damp cloth and wiped Reid's forehead. "It's going to be alright. We are fixing you OK?"

And Reid's fingers twitched in response. There was a terrible smell of death around Reid. Not the old decomposing death, but the fresh smell of death, the smell of fear and sweat. The smell of defeat. "Come on Spencer, you can't give up on us now, we are almost at the end. He can't get to you now. Just hold on a bit longer."

And Spencer opened his swollen sore eyes and looked up at the man who he thought of as a father and as he smiled his lips cracked and bled and his ragged breathing slowed and deepened. Gideon didn't know if he was just relaxing back into the pain he must be in, or looking at the world for the last time. Jason's heart was dying along with that of his agent.

They waited over an hour before the doctor came rushing back into the room again. He went to Reid's IV and injected a concoction into it then shrugged.

"I have never in my life seen anything like this. I have no idea if that will work or not. Now we just wait."

Gideon looked over to Hotch then back to Reid. "Let's hope it works fast."

………..

It was just NOT going to plan. Why was everything falling apart so suddenly? Floyd spat at the guard and swore at Morgan who was standing there watching.

"There ARE no guarantees in life. Look at you, little more than scum. Dirty on the inside. You make me want to vomit, and you dare keep me here in shackles and threaten me? You dirty whore dog! Let me go. I need to see Spencer!"

"You after getting me to kill you? It wont work, I will get far more pleasure seeing you in the slammer."

"I will tell you what I did to him, that little boy of yours. The agent with nothing left inside of him but a mess only I can untangle." He smirked as Morgan watched him. "You want to know don't you? You want to be able to look at him and imagine all those things. Even Spence doesn't know everything. It can be our secret." Flanders was talking now in a low sick whisper.

"Shut your mouth Flanders. You have nothing to say that I am interested in."

"Not interested yet, but I am sure I can find something." Morgan walked leaned over to a box on the floor of the van and removed a roll of tape. He waggled it at Floyd.

"One more work and I gag you."

"They won't lock me away. They can't do that. You know that. Come on Agent Derek Morgan, let me tell you some secrets."

And the tape was slapped around his mouth.

"I told you to shut up."

……..

Reid thought his eyes were going to explode. How was it possible to be in this much pain and not be dead? He thought he had gone blind. All he could see was bright white. He could hear or smell nothing. Occasionally he could feel something cold wipe across his forehead and he tried to move his hands to reach up and touch this person who was trying to save him but all he could do was twitch his fingers slightly, and the pain that caused was so immense that he didn't try again.

Gradually around the edges of the brightness came a fog. It was slow but it was there. A seeping darkness, a place for demons to hide, a place for the princess and little treasures, a place for Floyd. He moved his fingers and tried to look around him. But still the light was too bright but sounds, he could hear sounds. He wiggled his toes, and the sounds became muffled voices. He could hear Gideon. He opened his mouth to try to call out to someone to pull him out of this light. Was this the light at the beginning of death? Was this the beginning of the end? Had his body died? Was he dead? He tried to lift his hand up and attract the attention of his friends. He could hear Hotch. He could hear the words but they made no sense.

So Reid lay on the bed as the toxic fluids raced through his blood trying to wipe out everything which had once been Reid and replacing it with something dark. Something not right. And as they did something joined them in a fight. His brain seized again as it lost control.

Hotch and Gideon ran to his side and watched helplessly as their friend seemed to slip further and further away from them.

"It's not working."

The doctor was standing at their side. "No, it's fine. His heart rate has dropped. That's a good start. The Seizing we would expect. This is a lot for a person's body to deal with. It's just nature taking control again. We haven't lost him yet."

Hotch and Gideon looked at each other. They didn't look so sure.

"Can I come in?" a quiet voice from the door way. JJ looked quite shocking. She had been crying, and it looked like she had been sleeping in her clothes.

"JJ? Yes come in. Talk to him. Just don't expect a response yet OK. He looks worse than he is." Gideon hated to lie to her, but he really didn't want his liaison in tears.

Somewhere he could smell something sweet. He could smell roses and flowers. JJ? Was that JJ? If it was then he was still alive. He still had a chance. And something took his hand and kissed it gently. "Come on Spence, fight for a bit longer."

Slowly very slowly he closed his fingers around hers.

"JJ is that you?" and his voice was so soft and quiet that they nearly missed it.

"Yes Spence. Don't talk. Just fight this thing. Stay with us Spencer."

…….

The doctor called Hotchner over. "I need to talk to you about something. I know this comes under doctor patient confidentiality, but what I am unsure of his position in the FBI. Is he still an agent? You see it depends on what I say and what is just the business of Dr Reid."

Hotch nodded. "I understand. I think for these purposes we assume he is my agent. This was done to him before any questions were being asked of his suitability to remain in the BAU. What you say goes no further than the two of us."

The doctor led Hotch away to an office to have a quiet personal word with Hotch about unconnected issues concerning Dr Reid and his short time spent in prison.

……

Floyd was far from happy with his situation. They were taking him to a doctor for a mental stability evaluation. The swearing and cursing coming out his mouth when Morgan roughly ripped the tape away proved not only that this man was not totally sane, but that he had a fine vocabulary and was well versed on the curse words from many different European countries. He also seemed to think Morgan was a contortionist.

He was man handled down a brightly lit corridor to a small square white room at the end. His cuffs where secured to the floor and he was pushed down to sit in a chair. A doctor came in and sat the other side of the room. Morgan stood by the door. "I'm not letting this son of a bitch out of my sight." He informed the doctor who raised an eyebrow and turned to face Floyd.

"So Mr Flanders we are here to talk about you. Where do you want to start?"

Flanders yawned. "I was born in Italy. Small village in the south. We travelled. We travelled a lot."

"Who is 'we'?"

"OK..my clan travelled. They were stupid uneducated barbarians. They had no manners and no means to look forward. I took what I needed. I am here now. That is it..That is all you need to know."

"Mr Flanders, do you have cannibalistic tendencies?"

"You make it sound bad. I am not the first one, I won't be the last. Spence never complained about it. He happily ate human meat. He was fair game for anything was that boy." If he was going to say more it was lost under the feet and fists of agent Derek Morgan as he beat Flanders unconscious in the doctor's office.

"Yes I have an issue with my temper." Morgan said before the doctor could say anything.

…..

Reid opened his eyes again, but still it was all bright light, but the voices he could hear, and his hands and feet he could move with out the searing pain. Finally it was falling back and leaving him.

"I can't – I can't see." And Reid's hands fluttered up and gently touched his eyes.

"Give it time son." Gideon said. "Everything will take time."

Hotch stood in the doorway staring at Reid. The information he had just been given spinning in his head. He walked slowly over to Reid and just looked at him. Too much had happened to this person. Too much suffering and pain. Hotch was not sure they would ever get him back again now. Was this person he once thought he knew so well lost to them?

Hotch asked the others to leave for a while. He needed to talk to Spencer.

He stood and looked down at Spencer. And as the light became less bright Reid could finally focus on his boss and he sucked in his lips and gave a little smile.

"Hotch." His voice was dry and croaky.

"Don't talk Reid. I just need to say some things to you." Hotch rubbed at his temples and thought of what the doctor had said to him. "Reid I am sorry. I let you down over and over again. When this is over I am going to get a new coffee machine for your use only in the office. How does that sound?"

"It sounds like you are spoiling me Agent Hotchner."

"Spencer I know I am not the best person maybe to talk this through with. I don't deal with emotional issues as well as some do but I do know that you should never just give in and let someone do something to you which you don't want to happen. Do you understand me? You have the ability to say no and you have the capability to fend people off. Don't become a victim Spencer because it's easier."

"I er."

"I don't mean this stuff" and Hotch gestured around the room. "I am talking about deep seated responses to things built into you. You can say no."

"Hotch. I know."

"OK now sleep. I will stay with you."

……….

**A/N one more chapter I am thinking. Thank you all for reading!!**


	38. Chapter 38 That Deep Dark Place

That Deep Dark Place Where It Sits And Waits.

**A/N final chapter. **

_Disclaimer: Criminal Minds isn't mine. Floyd Flanders is._

Reid was standing in his hospital room dressed in his cords and shirt and sweater vest. Shades of brown. His arms still had dressings on them, but he was going home today. Aaron was going to pick him up and take him back to his place for a few days. Haley and Jack were 'away' visiting her sister again so he wouldn't be getting in the way and Spencer wouldn't feel the need to avoid looking at the child all the time. There was something about Hotch's son that scared the pants of Reid.

His mind was clear. He had been evaluated and then talked to and evaluated again and talked to and talked at until Reid thought his head would explode. They wanted answers and he didn't have any. He had no idea who this person who persecuted him so was. He would like to get to know him though but this is something he hadn't talked about. He kept that little nugget all to himself. A man has to have some secrets. Reid was building up quite a library of them.

The charges had been dropped. The unknown DNA which kept turning up was Floyd's as he himself had said. He was free. But there was that nagging something.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard Hotch's voice behind him.

"You ready?" Hotch was talking so quietly like he thought the vibrations of his voice would break Spencer.

"Yes Hotch. I am ready and you don't have to be so – erm – cautious. I am fine. Just a few scratches and bruises." Spencer was smiling a big tooth filled smile. "I just want to get out of here and get the smell of hospital soap off me."

"I think a few people might drop in tonight to have a welcome back drink. I'm sorry, Garcia you know, I don't know how to stop that woman once she gets going on something."

"That's good. She's good. We need to tell her more often. People need to be told that they are loved and needed, sometimes we forget. We assume and then we start to think we know when really we have no idea and suddenly it's all too late."

Hotch frowned "Are you sure you are feeling alright?"

Reid answered with a nod and picking up his bag he left the hospital room.

……………..

Floyd was in a dark hole. He was puzzled as to how he had got here. His plans had not worked out. They always worked out. What had gone wrong? Was his Spencer alright? Yes. Somehow he knew he was alright. They will let him go because what had he done wrong? Kidnapped a federal agent? That was a joke. He hadn't. His Spencer came with no force. He just walked right into his open arms.

"You will be back my Spencer. I know you will."

……………

The house felt very empty without his wife and child. He was glad Spencer agreed to come back for a while to stay. He could keep an eye on him for a couple of weeks then try out work again. Hotch was taking his vacation time now. Gideon was keeping things going at work. He showed Spencer to the spare room. It had an adjoining bathroom with a nice big tub. The house smelt of home. He could smell coffee and polish and the things houses should smell of.

"Are you going to get changed Spencer, they will be arriving soon to make sure it's all true."

"What's all true?" and he looked alarmed for a fleeting second.

Hotch noted how jumpy Reid was. "That you are finally out of the hospital. Take a bath…get the smells off you, and change your clothes."

"Hotch I like the way I dress. I feel comfortable like this." And he did his little kitten scowl at Hotch.

"I can tell you are feeling better Reid. I am not complaining of the way you dress, but you smell like a hospital."

Reid went into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. Hotch stood and watched for a while. Still very worried about Reid but he could hardly tell a grown man to leave the door unlocked when he was still showing so many signs of hyper-vigilance. He sat on Reid's bed and ran his fingers over his bag. Should he unpack for him? Should he wait here for him? Should he just go away and leave the boy alone?

Hotch got up and went down stairs, making sure he left all the doors open, and waited at the bottom of the stairs. Waiting for signs that things were still wrong. Waiting for the screams or the sudden noises of panic. He was still standing there when a wet haired Reid came back down the stairs.

"Hotch? Are you going to open the door? They have been pounding on that door for ages."

"Spencer, I was waiting for you. You open it. It's you they want to see, not me."

Reid frowned and looked at the shadows the other side of the door. "No – it's erm – no. Hotch. I can't"

And Reid walked quickly away to the kitchen to grab a strong coffee. Sitting on the counter was a small mirror. Haley must have left it there. Reid picked it up and stared intently into it. "Where are you? I can feel you. I can smell you. Where are you?" Reid ran his fingers slowly over his face and up to his forehead. "Where are you?"

…………

The get together was odd. No one was really saying that which they wanted to. They all avoided the subject Reid needed to talk about but felt gagged by their friend's silence. Garcia was having a triple sugar rush and was all over the place with words and thoughts, but she still managed to avoid it. Reid didn't say much. He sat and listened to how Morgan's bike had to get new tyres, and how Emily had refused to pay the hairdresser for messing up here hair again. He listened to JJ and how she had entered into a darts tournament, and Gideon watched Reid as he listened. He watched the man he thought of as a son wriggle and squirm and sigh and drink far too much coffee. Eventually Jason got up and led Reid out to the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Spencer asked and has hand flittered over to the mirror and he grasped it in his hand.

"I was going to ask the same thing. You need to talk about something. I am here. Talk to me Spencer."

"I I cant – I can't explain it." His voice was low and nervous.

"Try me." Gideon pulled over a tall stool and sat down. "Sit and drink coffee with me Spencer and tell me what's bothering you."

But Reid shook his head and walked around the kitchen island. "I said – I can't – I need. Jason I need to visit Mahoney."

Jason nodded. "I can arrange that. Now tell me what you can't."

Reid fiddled with the coffee machine until it hissed at him and made him jump. "Well that's the thing. I don't know what it is."

And he fiddled with the toaster for a while whilst Gideon watched him.

"I feel I am being watched. Not by you and the others, but from inside me. I know it makes no sense and I know you are going to send me back for more evaluations, but I can't stop the feeling."

Gideon smiled. Was that all? "Its hyper-vigilance, it will slowly fade. It's to be expected. You are still very traumatised Reid and we don't expect you to just flip back the pages and be how you were before all of this. Now come and join the others, and a few useful facts about anything will make everyone feel happy."

Reid smiled and slipped the mirror into his pocket without even realising he had.

………….

That's it my boy. Stay with me now. We are part of each other. A whispering in the back of Reid's mind. Not quite there but not quite gone.

………..

"Mahoney you have a visitor."

He sat at a table and waited. Mahoney didn't get visitors, so he was puzzled over who this could be. When Reid walked in and over to him he jumped up beaming.

"Damnit I thought you were dead!"

Reid smiled. "Thank you." He slid some cigarettes across the table. "All I was permitted. Sorry."

"Thank you Spencer."

"I need to say sorry to you Mahoney. I was an ass. I should have accepted your – erm – protection. But anyway, thanks for everything."

"You are welcome. And thank you too Spencer." And Reid blushed crimson.

"Erm Mahoney – my business card. If you ever need anything. Call me please.

……………

Spencer was alone in the room he was staying in at Hotch's place. He really needed to be in his own place now. Hotch was a very educated man, but Reid had still managed to read every book in the house and drink more coffee than he should. There was that thing he still needed to do though. He picked up his cell phone and made a quick call.

Reid slipped out of the house without telling Hotch. He knew he was only looking after his welfare but it was suffocating. He walked down the road which led to the bus stop and waited. When it arrived he paid his money and sat at the back and pulled the mirror out of his pocket and sat and stared at it. "What did you do to me?" He thought.

……..

Floyd Flanders was incarcerated in a cell alone. Very alone. No one to talk to and no one to bait. His cell had a bed and a small desk bolted onto the wall. The three walls were off white, and the floor was grey. The fourth wall was thick bars. He had been sitting with a bit of paper in his had all day. It was blank. They refused to give him anything to write with. He had bitten into his arm and made it bleed and written over the wall next to his bed. **HERE I COME** over and over again.

He looked up when he sensed someone watching him. His eyes locked with Reid's.

"What have you done to me?" Reid's voice was cold

Floyd stood and walked to the bars. He ran his fingers over the bars looking deep into Spencer. "You can feel me can't you?"

"What have you done?" a whisper.

"Come closer. I want to touch you." He was leering.

"You are not answering my question." He hissed.

"Let me touch you. Then I will tell you. Just a hand. Come on Spencer you know you want to feel me."

And he did so desperately need to touch this man who had – who had – who had done what? He couldn't really remember anymore. It was fading into a nightmare blur. He slowly shook his head.

"Very well." And Floyd turned to go back to sit on his bed.

"NO! no – Floyd." And Spencer could feel his hand reaching out for the bars. "Please."

As Floyds fingers wrapped around his he felt something deep inside him open up and rip his soul apart.

………….

END!!!!

………….

**A/N expect a sequel.**


End file.
